One of the first lessons a child learns from their parents is how to share. A pair of Hicksville brothers apparently took those lessons to heart, because now, even in adulthood, they are still sharing; what they share now though is a common dream.
Brothers Sumit and Rohit Verma have been working for years as opticians all across Long Island, always dreaming of one day having their own business. That shared dream has come true with the opening of their new business, Hicksville Optical.
“Our grand opening was at the end of September and business continues to grow,” says Sumit. “Even though we have both been working as opticians, this is the first time my brother and I have worked together. We work very well together.”
The cohesiveness in their business partnership is probably due in large part to their mutual goal of putting customer satisfaction ahead of all else. “This is my passion, I personally devote my time and attention to the needs of our customers,” Rohit proudly proclaims.
The Verma brothers have been living in Hicksville for the last 20 years after growing up in India. They didn’t always plan on being opticians, it was something that slowly evolved for them both.
Sumit was working in the Business Management field, while Rohit was working in the Computer Science industry. As the years progressed they both realized that in addition to having a strong sense for business, they had an even deeper desire to help people.
It was then they both decided to become licensed opticians, earning their degrees in Brooklyn and Manhattan respectively. For the past 10 years they have been working steadily as opticians until deciding to open up their own business together.
“We felt very confident this was the right time for us to go out on our own,” said Sumit. Their business is open seven days a week with both brothers on hand continually, or as Sumit explains with a laugh, “Eight days a week we are here working.” Even their retired father is on hand frequently helping them out.
In addition to the full staff of Verma men, ophthalmologist Monika Singh is on staff treating patients as well. “We have an in house lab here on site. This helps us to have a quick turn around for our customers. Some glasses can be ready in as little as 15-minutes,” Rohit stated proudly.
They are also proud of the fact that any eyeglass brand a customer wants can be afforded, whether it is a generic brand or some of the many designer brands they offer. “Our motive is to help people with their vision while at the same time making it affordable,” says Sumit. “We have top notch brands at discount prices.”
The devotion they have to their customers is paying off. One customer in particular comes to the brother’s minds. Her name is Vanessa Juarbe. For years Juarbe had wanted to switch to progressive lenses but optician after optician gave her the same response—that her eyes were not the correct shape for progressive lenses.
By the time she came into Hicksville Optical she had given up on asking for progressive lenses, instead asking to purchase two different sets of glasses. “We took the challenge and said lets see if we can fit you with progressive lenses,” explains Sumit. “It is sad people don’t want to devote time and attention to patients’ needs. But we are glad we did. Now Juarbe is able to wear progressive lenses and she couldn’t be happier,” states Rohit.
Helping Juarbe and other customers like her is what gives both brothers their deepest satisfaction and helps them to live by the slogan they have set for their Hicksville business of “Helping People See Clearly.”
Hicksville Optical is located at 129 Newbridge Road (Route 106) in Hicksville. For more information visit the website at www.hicksvilleoptical.com or the facebook page www.facebook.com/hicksvilleoptical.
