Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie and Nina Miller.
Charlie and Nina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We started in 1984 in Provincetown. We opened up our first sunglass store (Coconuts) which is still in operation today on Commercial St. We were but two very young adults working very hard, without any financial backing so we put everything we owned into the business.
We began to get the hang of this retail thing so we opened Newport Sunglass Shop in Newport RI. From there we opened our first SolOptics store back in Provincetown…but we called it Mangos back then. The next store was our first Board store (BoardStiff) that branched us out from sunglasses to active wear and gear for all kinds of board sports and we really began to flourish.
We named our corporation COT Inc. which comes from our children’s names, Charlotte, Owen and Tessa.
We now have 10 stores throughout Cape Cod, Boston and Newport RI (American Sunglass, BoardStiff Falmouth, BoardStiff Provincetown, Coconuts Sunglasses, Newport Sunglass Shop, SolOptics Boston, SolOptics Chatham, SolOptics Mashpee, SolOptics Newport, SolOptics Provincetown) and 2 e-commerce sites (AmericanSunglass.com and X-Wear.com) Some of these Cape stores are seasonal but our Boston store is open all year round!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Certainly not a smooth road as we encountered the typical hurdles most businesses do, but as well as hard work, we had some luck sprinkled in along the way that allowed us to persevere and grow each and every year we’ve been in business.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the SolOptics Boston story. Tell us more about the business.
We have 2 divisions: Sunglasses & Eyewear (which SolOptics Boston is part of) and Active Sports Wear & Gear -including sunglasses (Our two BoardStiff stores).
What we are most proud of and what people know us for is our Customer Service. This does not just entail after-sale issues (where we excel), but we take pride in our, and that of all our employees, ability to assist each customer in finding exactly what they need. We have specially trained and knowledgeable associates who will discuss your needs and make suggestions as to which item will look/work best for you in meeting those needs.
Our sunglass stores have the largest selection of Designer, Performance and Everyday Eyewear in New England along with a style to “fit any face”. We have close relationships with all the major brands and if we don’t have it in stock, we can typically get anything (if the manufacturer has it in stock) within a few days’ time.
We like to train our associates to treat each customer as you would your friend who asked you to go out shopping to help them find that perfect pair of sunglasses!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
As with any major life choice, luck will always play a part…The timing was perfect, we found the perfect building in the perfect location just when we were looking for it, the right person came in looking for a job etc. But, in the end, it was hard work and perseverance through the more challenging times that have helped us get to where we are today.
Contact Info:
- Address: 329 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
- Website: www.soloptics.com
- Phone: (617) 523-3005
- Email: Soloptics07@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soloptics.boston/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sol-optics-boston
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