Opti-Mart
It´s a little off the beaten path, but this Opti-Mart outlet has racks and racks of frames and eyecare accessories that it sells on a two-for-one basis. The store may not have the trendiest specs, but if you´d rather get a root canal than spend $1,200 for frames (and if you tend to lose glasses like Bic pens), then this, folks, is the place for you. What makes this Opti-Mart so extraordinary, though, is not the selection or the prices, but the people. Everyone who works here gives a damn, from the opticians to the counter people. A couple deserve special mention: Stephanie Hendrix, the optical technician manager, makes it her mission to see that you look good in your glasses. She´ll walk around looking for frames that fit your face (and she´ll tell you if the ones you picked out aren´t working). When you pick them up, she makes sure they fit right. She looks for flaws (e.g. bifocal lines that aren´t straight) and then sends your four-eyed ass on your way with a smile. Hayli Willis works behind the counter and has the same sort of friendly, helpful ways.
Opti-Mart, 4399 35th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-525-3959.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2004.