01/17/2026
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I’ve owned and operated my store for nearly twenty years, and it makes me genuinely sad that so few people seem to notice the billboard in our parking lot—a space we lease and pay for—where we chose to display LGBTQ+ rainbow flag artwork.
For you see, my love and support for our community goes all the way back to 1985. When I was 19 years old, I founded an organization in North Texas that provided hospice care and other social services dedicated to lessening the suffering and improving the quality of life for those impacted by AIDS and their families. My love for our community is nothing new.
No one required us to do this. There was no pressure or obligation.
We paid for the artwork and its installation because it felt like a sincere expression of our love, gratitude, and solidarity with the LGBTQ+community that has supported us for so many years.
Unlike some larger clubs and institutions, including churches whose annual budgets far exceed ours, we are a small, independent
business. Over the past year, our optometrist was out due to serious heart issues. Being without an optometrist on site for that length of time significantly affected us financially, though it was unavoidable and handled with care and compassion.
Because of that, this billboard was not an easy or inconsequential
expense for us. It may not seem like much to some, but it represented a real financial stretch during a challenging period. That is why it feels especially disheartening that the message—and the effort behind it—has largely gone unnoticed.
In our neighborhood, several businesses chose to place rainbow artwork on their buildings—not in defiance, but in affirmation—to so that while symbols may be removed, people cannot be erased.
Notably, the United Methodist Church, a historic church in our community, responded immediately by bringing volunteers together to paint its exterior steps in the LGBTQ+ rainbow colors as a visible expression of inclusion, love, and support. I truly love their dedication to supporting our community! I applaud them for perseverance in overcoming objections because it is important to them as it is to me that we show up and out in our neighborhood! But for me, this decision was very personal. In many ways it's an extension of something I take personally and something I recognized long ago not everyone can stand up and speak out like I've been able to do. Plus, no one else is right here on Lemmon and Oak Lawn avenue
I’m still searching for the right words—but I know this: solidarity should never be mistaken for provocation. For us, this gesture came from a place of respect, gratitude, and genuine love for the community, even if at times doing so required great sacrifice on our part. In retrospect, I have no regrets for giving back to our community what each of you have given us so freely. No regrets only love and appreciation for all the wonderful I've met and who've graced my life and who I met as new customers and became like our family! I'm deeply honored for the privilege to serve you! I'm thrilled each time to help and to see your faces! I also welcome and love meeting new customers too! I love being able help them and you and your loved ones find just the right pair of designer eyewear which incapsulates all the design elements that you seek and more! There's nothing more satisfying for all of us, as happy repeat customers! I love it when people find all sorts of eyewear in the store that you love!
As the owner and buyer I'm deeply honored and frankly, often times astonished to have so many well heeled beautiful (both inside and out) Dallasites and celebrities that love our selection of glasses and sunglasses! Everyone is always welcome in my store. I try to make sure you know it too! I'm not in the business of being excluding people based on price! I'm all about being inclusive!
I hate to ask but if you—or someone you know—are looking for truly fabulous eyeglasses or sunglasses, we would be deeply grateful for any and all referrals. As always, we'll treat them like family, our extended family that is!
Supporting small, independent businesses makes a real difference, especially right now. Just so you know,
we are also actively seeking to recruit an independent optometrist to lease the doctors office located inside our store. If you happen to know a really great Optometrist interested in leasing space inside our store. If you know someone who might be a good fit, I would sincerely appreciate being connected.
Thank you for seeing us, for supporting us, and for standing with our community. We/I are truly grateful to each of you for your support and care. If I may ask, please a moment to send us a friend request if you haven't already done so, also please hit the like button and share our message with others? It really mean a lot to me if you would?
And now... you know the rest of my story
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