EYES ON HUDSON OWNER KATELYN ROGERSON, OD, DISCUSSES CREATING A SUCCESSFUL RETAIL ENVIRONMENT WITH FEATURE EDITOR JILLIAN URCELAY

 

Katelyn Rogerson, OD

Dr. Rogerson with optician Justin Landon

EYES ON HUDSON WAS BORN IN THE PANDEMIC, although not by design. We signed our lease weeks before all of New York descended into lockdown. We accomplished most of our buildout during lockdown, and we were subject to many delays. However, since we were brand new, and no one had any expectations about how we do business, we were able to open with an appointment-only model for all visits. The appointment-only model has been a big win for us and has transformed our optical into a private shopping experience that our staff and customers love.

WE HAVE A RETAIL STOREFRONT ON MAIN STREET IN DOBBS FERRY, N.Y., which is among a constellation of small historic villages along the Hudson River known as the Rivertowns. We are about 30 MINUTES NORTH OF NEW YORK CITY, and although the area fits the definition of a suburb of New York, it has all the quirks and charms of a late 19th century historic village. The vast majority of surrounding businesses are also locally owned mom-and-pop shops, and our community takes pride in supporting its network of local businesses.

In addition to our branding and our state-of-the-art medical facilities, WE’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT INDEPENDENT EYEWEAR. We exclusively stock independent frame lines and most of our collections are handmade in Europe, Japan or the U.S. Since we’re at the intersection of New York City’s cultural energy and the scenic natural beauty of the Hudson Valley, we tend to attract a lot of people who are inspired by both.

Our consumer base consists of lots of life-long locals, as well as a large contingent of ex-Brooklynites like ourselves. IT’S A GOOD MIX OF COMMUTING PROFESSIONALS AND CREATIVE TYPES, all of whom we have found to be very supportive of independent local businesses.

CREATING A BRAND WILL SET YOU APART. Our brand is consistent across channels, identifiable and relatable to our community. WE WERE INSPIRED BY THE BREATHTAKING BEAUTY OF OUR LOCAL GEOGRAPHY IN THE HUDSON VALLEY, as well as our long affection for independent music and punk rock. We hope to impart the warmth of an Adirondack cabin with a killer record collection in boutique form. If any of the above appeals to you, you should feel right at home. ■