Plaza Optical has shifted its way of helping people, reducing hours, working from home, locking our doors to keep our staff safe and making deliveries curbside by a masked/gloved member of the staff. (
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What do you want the community to know about how the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your business?
Plaza Optical, Paul and Betsy Utnick, owners:
“Our small business employs seven people in addition to our professional staff. We have applied as many have, for Payroll Protection, and like many have not received any assistance. Our staff and community have been loyal to us for 36 years, out of loyalty for them, no one has been furloughed.
“Presently, we have shifted our way of helping people, reducing our hours, working from home, locking our doors to keep our staff safe, deliveries made curbside by a masked/gloved member of our staff. We are requesting patients call ahead, so we may have a conversation as to how we can safely mitigate their immediate needs. When we are able to return to a new normal, we will take care of any issues that may arise at that time, in most cases with no additional cost to the individual. With a functioning lab on premises, we have the capability to safely fabricate eyeglasses. For our contact lens wearers, we, at no charge for shipping, directly send the lenses to the patient, eliminating any need to come to the office.
“We are using this time for some creative forward thinking and preparation to keep everyone safe and healthy which will mean changes, and additional costs to our office for safety measures we will put in place, and we welcome any ideas from the community as to how to better serve you as well. We will not pass these additional costs onto our patients, as no one has not been affected by this pandemic. The setup of our practice allows for safe and proper selection for fitting of eyeglasses in the future. Initially, we will most likely fit glasses by appointment only to allow for thorough disinfection of frames in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“Everyone who we have been able to assist during these difficult times, has been wonderful, supportive and beyond gracious, a constant reminder of why we chose ‘our little town’ as the place to open our practice so many years ago. Their support and their words give us hope as we look to the future together.”
Compiled by Nancy Kriz