Shuron Limited’s office on Halton Road is like any other glasses shop, until you look a little harder.
Chuck Whitehill owns Shuron Limited, a Greenville-based eyewear producer with a history dating back to 1865. It manufactures its frames in Florida, using the Greenville location primarily for distribution and shipping.
In a business that has inevitably seen change in over a hundred years, it has navigated some challenges. Sourcing raw materials has been the greatest challenge the last 10 to 15 years. Although some materials must be sourced outside of the country, every part of the manufacturing is done domestically.
Chances are, you’ve seen Shuron’s glasses. As a matter of fact, your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents have probably even seen them. Over its 158-year history, it’s become known for unique design, custom-fit service and a dash of Hollywood glamour.
Whitehill took over the business from his father, Charles Whitehill. He started at the business in the early 1990s and worked his way up.
If you ask him, he didn’t really have a passion for eyewear at first.
“It was something that I found sort of interesting, especially the history of the company,” he said. “It was just something that I thought would be a nice career path.”
But to talk with him now may tell you otherwise. Whitehill could tell you about contracts Shuron held with the Army. He will explain how the plastic Trivex went from military application to public consumption for its optical properties and strength, making it perfect for rimless eyewear for which the business has several designs.
The company attended trade shows in the past, but today most of its marketing comes by word of mouth and reputation.
Its frames have been featured in countless films for their retro designs, often a product of the production’s period or simply because they’re fashionable.
“Our Ronsir is one of our most popular frames. It’s been around forever,” Whitehill said. “And about three or four years ago, we added the crystal color. We brought that one in because that was in ‘Ant-Man.’ So we decided we would do a release for that.”
Hollywood glitz and glamor aside, the secret to the eyeglass purveyor’s century-and-a-half of success is customer service.
“We answer the phone. You’re not going to get a voicemail from us. You’re not going to be into a loop where you’ve got to punch certain numbers,” he said. “We answer. We take care of our customers.”
Shuron Limited is located at 120 Halton Road No. 18 in Greenville.
