HyperOptik aims to bring a new kind of spectacle to Grand Rapids' Wealthy St.

Funky, urban and eclectic are the words Christopher Conens uses to describe the trendy eyewear he and his dad Rob Conens and business partner Daryl Kamp will soon offer at their proposed HyperOptik Spectacle Studio at 1134 Wealthy St. SE.

But the shop is more than just a store -- it's also a finish lab for custom-grinding prescription lenses and a photo studio where Rob Conens, an avid portrait photographer, will photograph customer "models" wearing their new eyewear.

"Rob has always done the portrait work for the ad campaigns for our other store, Cascade Optical, but we've always set up a temporary photo studio," says Christopher Conens. "Now we'll be able to photograph every customer who wants to be part of our ads. Over the years, we've found that far more people want to do it than don't want to."

Cascade Optical has brought high-end eyewear to Grand Rapids patrons for 17 years and Christopher says he and Rob have envisioned an urban store for the past five years or so. He says the 1,200-square-foot location one door east of Wealthy Theatre is the perfect spot.

"We've found that the urban pockets of Grand Rapids are just incredible renaissance zones of energy, with more people moving there and a younger generation with a strong community spirit," Conens says.

"HyperOptik will offer less expensive and funkier eyewear than we have in Cascade," he says. "We already work with a number of artists and very creative colorful customers, and we wanted more of a presence in an urban environment, something a little more dynamic."

The store's product brands include l.a.Eyeworks, Booth & Bruce, X-I-T and Cutler & Gross. The shop will offer retail only, and will not have optometrists onsite.

Conens expects the shop will open in mid-October.

Source: Christopher Conens, HyperOptik Spectacle Studio
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor