Paul Manocha’s ambitions have always been beyond what is basic. Growing up in small-town Newfoundland, he moved to Vancouver to pursue marketing at BCIT. Here, he turned to the eye care field and decided to become a licensed optician and contact lenses fitter. While working as an optician for a few larger chains, he met Sharon, a licensed optician who has since become his loving wife of 27 years.
In 1999, Paul used his expertise to launch a new career path in Coquitlam. He took a risk and decided to purchase an optical store that had been established in 1970. The store is now called Beyond Basic Eyewear Optical, and is located on Austin Avenue. “We had some lean and mean months — and years — to follow,” Manocha recalls. Despite the faltering economy, he rolled up his sleeves and held on, working hard to revitalize the store and to bring in customers — new and old.
Today, orders come from all over the Lower Mainland and even other provinces and states. What are customers looking for? For the most part, Manocha says, they want prescription eyeglasses, prescription and nonprescription sunglasses and contact lenses. But, unlike some other optical shops, Beyond Basic Eyewear also offers eyewear repairs and adjustments. “Sometimes, all they need is a simple adjustment and then boom, their vision quality improves dramatically,” Manocha says.
Manocha is proud to provide more than just your ordinary frames, “Having been in the business for the better part of my life, I can tell exactly what type of frame will suit a person’s unique features and help them find a frame they will love.”
Manocha says the biggest misconception about eyewear is that some people feel that glasses are “nerdy, or may cause one to be very self-conscious of their looks.” But glasses and eyewear have come a long way. “Eyewear has now become a part of the fashion industry.”
Manocha and his staff of three take pride in helping customers find the best fit for their face and budget. Additionally, they offer direct billing to most insurance companies. “People often forget to use their eye care benefits. Helping families claim the funds and get the eye care they need makes a world of a difference,” he says.
Beyond Basic Eyewear is a member of the Austin Business Improvement Association and the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce, and their involvement allows their business to stay current with business trends in the area.
As for his loyal client base, Manocha says he is grateful for their support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past 25 years, he and his employees have made lifelong connections with families and have established lasting relationships with community groups. For example, they have sponsored local sports teams, local high schools with their dry grad festivities and other charitable causes such as the BC Children’s Hospital, SHARE Family and Community Services and the B.C./Yukon Heart and Stroke Foundation branch. Additionally, Manocha is known to donate frames to families in need.
“Thank you to our community for their ongoing support over the last 25 years. It wasn’t an easy journey but I am proud to have built Beyond Basic Eyewear into the company it is today.”
To learn more about Beyond Basic Eyewear Optical, visit beyondbasiceyewear.ca.
