Saint Optical’s focus remains service, price and quality.

The LaPlace business hallmarks have kept the eye center in business for three decades and a successful move into a 4,000-square foot location at 1518 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace, offering customers high quality selection and care.

Co-owners Paul and Cheryl Millet, along with their son, Paul Jr., and doctors Michael Ostrick and Jennifer Moncada work to keep customers from St. John the Baptist Parish and beyond satisfied and coming back for more.

Paul stressed Ostrick’s and Moncada’s skill levels make a big difference for customers looking for eye exams.

“When a patient comes in with glaucoma problems, our doctors can do and are approved to do laser or anything associated with surgery,” he said. “Saint Optical is much different than other eyeglass shops, as we are not just a retail shop where you go in, pick out some glasses and are done. We can actually take care of the medical needs a patient may have. We have made those changes and upgrades to Saint Optical.”

All too often, Paul said online shoppers pick out glasses for a cheap price getting a kit in the mail and performing a self-eye exam.

He feels it’s a recipe for failure.

“That is like saying, you are a mechanic, here you can put on your own water pump even if you never knew what it was, but buy yourself a wrench, put it on and think it’s going to run,” Paul said. “When customers do it and realize they can’t see. They won’t admit it, but it is true because they bought these cheap glasses.”

Cheryl said customers pay so little for the online glasses; they are really just throwing them right in the garbage.

“You come to me and you are going to get a quality pair of glasses for a quality price,” Paul said.

“You are not going to get a doctor working at a retail chain, you will get a doctor working at their best. We have a relationship with them, and that is who does our surgeries. I want to give the finest service to my patients.”

The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday by appointment only.

The decision to move into a new and more modern building was in part made for their large customer base. Saint Optical offers hundreds of prescription frames, as well as non-prescription sunglasses.

Designer frames — including Ray-Ban, Kenneth Cole and Coach — are offered as well as a partnership with Costa Del Mar that allows sunglass frames to be fitted with prescription lenses.

Community involvement is also extremely important to Paul and Cheryl, who keep a focus on local government.

“God has been very good to us, and you have to give back,” Cheryl said. “That is what we do and in a variety of ways. We have to mix it up. It is essential.”

Paul said St. John’s political climate is crucial for the future, adding many eyes are focused on the next local government election cycle, which could see major changes on the Parish Council and Administration.

“How is the politics going to make other people shop here and keep the ones here, here,” Paul asked. “We have to get our people to stay here and spend dollars here. I want to see youth come into office with fresh ideas. We need to put the community and small businesses first. Small businesses are the backbone of America, but it is not the backbone of St. John.”

By Candace Hemelt, L’OBSERVATEUR