The eyewear industry has seen a lot of changes in 120 years, and we’re not just talking fashion.
You can see for yourself on Saturday, Oct. 6, at J.C. Reiss Optician on 25 South St. in Morristown.
Owners Tom and Lily Harrigan will be giving away all sorts of goodies and refreshments from noon to 4 pm, to mark the milestone of a business that migrated from Newark decades ago and never looked back.
Tom also will be showing off a giant digital machine that shows exactly how you look in different glasses–while taking precise measurements so the glasses will fit superbly. It’s a far cry from the mirrors and crude little rulers that Tom and other opticians used when he started 40 years ago.
But it takes more than fancy electronics to thrive for so long.
Mayor Tim Dougherty, who has declared Saturday “J.C. Reiss Day” in Morristown, is an avid fisherman who buys his prescription sunglasses at the store. He says it’s service that draws customers to the South Street shop, year after year and generation after generation.
“It’s not just a chain. It’s personalized…you’re known by your first name,” said the Mayor. “It’s a real testament to a small business to survive this many years, through good times and hard times.”
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