This Richmond Practice Turned a 1921 House Into a Home for Independent Eyewear

Carytown Optical Shoppe, Richmond, VA

OWNER: Cynthia Allen; URL: carytownoptical.com; FACEBOOK: facebook.com/carytownoptical; INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/carytownopticalshoppe; FOUNDED: 1983; Opened featured location: 2018; AREA: 1,900 sq. ft.; Buildout cost: $45,000; DESIGN: Cynthia Allen; TOP BRANDS: Thierry Lasry, Matsuda, Bevel, Shamir; EMPLOYEES: 1 full-time, 1 part-time

Cynthia Allen

IN RICHMOND’S HISTORIC Carytown district, the highest praise a business can receive is a simple five-word verdict: “This place is so Richmond!…” For Cynthia Allen, owner of Carytown Optical, hearing that refrain is proof that her long-term vision has hit its mark. While the shop has been a neighborhood staple since 1983, its true transformation began when Allen purchased the business in 1993. Over the three decades that followed, she meticulously evolved the practice from a clinical contact lens specialty office into a premier destination for independent, artisan eyewear.

When a 2017 redevelopment project slated her original building for demolition, Allen faced a choice: leave the neighborhood or find a way to stay. She chose the latter, purchasing a 1921 house that had most recently served as an Italian restaurant. The resulting 1,900-square-foot space is a masterclass in hands-on renovation. Allen acted as her own general contractor and designer, enlisting her children to help with the “destruction, hauling, insulation, staining,” and painting required to bring the building to its current glory.

The design celebrates the building’s century-old bones while introducing whimsical, high-end touches. The renovation exposed original brick walls, wooden beams, and 100-year-old wood floors that had been hidden under green carpet squares. “Every inch of decorating and design was my vision come to life, and it is gorgeous,” Allen says. One of the most striking features is the use of full-sized planed trees in Cherry, Walnut, and Pecan, which were installed to create one-of-a-kind frame displays.

‘We’re not salesmen here. We are not numbers driven. We’re educators and style enhancers,’ says Allen.

The building’s previous life as a restaurant was integrated rather than ignored. Allen kept the original bar to serve as the front desk and retained the kegerator. Today, it stays stocked with local cider and beer for staff happy hours and “the occasional surprise gift for a customer who cares to partake.” The result is a space that defies clinical expectations.

“Our customers delight in the overall warmth and authenticity of our optical ‘house,’ exclaiming, ‘This place is so Richmond!’ ‘What a great vibe here!’ and every day we hear: ‘I have never seen anything like this store,’” says Allen.

Operationally, Carytown Optical prioritizes education over the hard sell. The shelves are stocked with a heavy-hitting roster of independent lines, including Thierry Lasry, Matsuda, Anne et Valentine, and Theo. Beyond its marquee lines, the shop’s inventory spans a deep bench of independent designers — from Kirk & Kirk and Blake Kuwahara to Face à Face, Blackfin, Lunor, and Kame Man Nen. “We feel that it’s most important to serve our customers with guidance, information and suggestions. We’re not salesmen here. We are not numbers driven.

We’re educators and style enhancers,” Allen explains. This philosophy has led to a string of “Best Eyewear Store” wins that Allen notes are entirely organic: “We have never sent out requests for votes in any way.”

‘Every inch of decorating and design was my vision come to life,’ says owner Cynthia Allen.

The internal culture is equally personal. Allen’s staff of four is a tight-knit family. She worked alongside her son, Hunter, and daughter, River, for years. (River has since moved to Portland to become an account representative for Shwood eyewear). Longtime friends — optometrist Dr. Benjamin Gates and office manager Suzanne Greenwood Spence of Carytown Optometry — have been providing eye and contact lens exams for the business for over 15 years, and Maria, an optician with 30 years of experience, joined two years ago. “We all genuinely love each other and would do anything to support one another,” says Allen. This extends to a “no questions asked” policy for time off and snow day closures to keep the team off the roads.

For Allen, the business is a refusal of the corporate model. “There is nothing sterile or corporate-like or rigid about our customers’ experience here, and I think that is very cool.”

Five Cool Things About Carytown Optical Shoppe

1. ALL HANDS ON… The renovation turned the upstairs into a comfortable office and deck.

2. DOWN TIME. The basement serves as a sunny employee break area and party spot.

3. RESPECT POLICY. While the vibe is warm, it isn’t unconditional. Rude customers are rare, but they are politely handed back their prescription and asked to “shop elsewhere.”

4. SILENT GIVING. The practice maintains a strong community presence by helping the “truly needy” and local musicians, though Allen prefers to keep these contributions out of the public eye.

5. SCROLL OF FAME. The practice displays photos of content customers in their new frames on its social feeds.

PHOTO GALLERY (7 IMAGES)