Operating a business for a half-century is no small feat. The secret for Garrison Opticians, which turns 50 this year, is excellent service.
The Greenville business was owned and operated by Nelson Garrison and later Phil Silberman until he passed away in January 2021. Today, it’s owned by Silberman’s family and managed by optician Mignon Borchert.
“He (Silberman) cared for the clients and wanted the best for them, and really enjoyed this,” Borchert said. “So professionally, we are very similar.”
Borchert ultimately found her love for opticianry while working at Garrison’s. She started at the store in 2013 and got her license in 2015, though her history in eyewear began in 1998. She loved that it was a way to work in healthcare while also helping clients to express themselves.
For her and Silberman, finding the right pair of glasses had more to do than taking measurements or advising clients. It has everything to do with listening and meeting each customer’s needs.
Borchert said that while men tend to prefer durable, “cool, but understated” frames like Oliver Peoples eyewear, women want a standout look.
“Women want to be unique,” she said. “Mostly, they don’t care about other people think. The older they are, the less other people’s opinions they care about.”
Many of the shop’s clients are 50 and older, preferring frames that Borchert divides into “wild,” “medium-wild” and “classic.” This way, the store has something for everyone despite changes in style.
Garrison’s has come to be known for bringing a little bit of the European style of shopping for eyewear, providing access to smaller-scale spectacle makers with higher-quality frames. It boasts an inventory of frames that accentuate individuality.
Over the years, it has thrived on word-of-mouth marketing, becoming known for creating a tailor-made experience for its customers. Need help with your golf game? Having trouble reading the greens? These are examples of questions Borchert may ask to deduce a customized eyewear answer.
“I consider us a concierge business,” Borchert said. “I want everything to be a one on one.”
Garrison Opticians is located at 1922 Augusta St., Suite 109, in Greenville.
Garrison Opticians Timeline
- May 1974: Nelson Garrison opens Garrison’s Opticians, purchasing an opticianry shop from Elizabeth Arnold.
- 1992: Phil Silberman and family move to South Carolina from California to later work with Nelson Garrison.
- Fall 1997: Amy Peck purchases the shop from Garrison.
- May 2002: Peck sells the shop back to Garrison.
- April 2003: Silberman purchases Garrison’s Opticians from Garrison.
- Summer 2013: Mignon Borchert starts working at Garrison’s.
- January 2021: Silberman passes away, turning ownership over to his family.
- May 2024: Garrison’s Opticians turns 50 years old.
