Standing proudly in the heart of Newton Highlands, Highland Opticians has been selling eyewear to the Greater Boston community for over forty-five years. The business, founded by Jefferey Mann in 1976, has since been passed down to his daughters, Emilie Brassil and Julie Mann. “[We make] sure that people get the proper fit and what they’re looking for…we can hopefully help everybody that walks in here,” said Brassil.
Growing up as the children of an optician, the sisters never anticipated taking up the trade themselves. “[I]…went to school for political science, graduated Syracuse, and started at a nonprofit, which I loved,” said Brassil. As her career evolved, she realized her love for helping others, and she found she loves the retail business. “My father was like, ‘Well, that’s…what the store is. It’s a mix of both.’…I’ve been here now 18 years and [I] love it.” Julie Mann followed a similar path from nonprofit work to the family business and has been working at Highland Opticians for the past twelve years. Before that, she and her sister followed their father’s advice to work elsewhere, to prepare for their jobs in the optical field.
Though their love for ophthalmology arose later in their lives, both sisters credit their values to being raised by the founders of a family-owned business. “[My parents] always taught us to treat people how you know they want to be treated,” said Julie Mann. “Just be honest and kind and helpful to everyone, and you’ll be successful. And I don’t think it matters what you do, you know?” This desire to help others manifests itself in how they conduct their business. “It’s a nice feel when you walk into a place that is family-owned…you know if you’re having trouble or there’s any issues with anything, they’ll be there, and just like us, we’re going to be here and help people figure out what the problem is and how we can fix it for them,” Julie Mann said.
As with many small businesses in the past years, Highland Opticians has had its share of COVID-related struggles. The online sale of glasses has skyrocketed in the years since the pandemic, and Highland Opticians has had to adapt, crafting a website to make purchasing glasses easier. “People started going online, and then quickly realized that you can’t just do everything online that you need,” said Brassil. “We don’t have the same products that …online has. We’re …striving for quality and making sure things are made accurately.” Yet the rewards of running their business outweigh these struggles. “I would say the biggest surprise is still, almost on a daily basis, when people come in and just say, thank you just for helping them…that’s never lost on us.”
The sisters’ desire to help others extends beyond simply selling their eyewear, as they create a space for the Newton community to grow. This Halloween, the business participated in storefront window-painting activities. Additionally, the sisters help Bostonians access affordable glasses as well. “There’s an optometrist we work with who works with homeless people in Boston. So when people donate their glasses, she then passes them along…Just making sure that we give back that way,” said Brassil. Julie Mann echoes this statement. “We just want to help people and make their life a little bit easier if we can…That’s what we’re here for. Just make it as simple and easy for people as possible.”
Noa Kelmer-Racin is a Fig City intern and a sophomore at Princeton University.