Westminster Street’s Providence Optical gains national recognition

PROVIDENCE OPTICAL owners Lee Kuczewski, left, and Onega Astaltasova have gained a reputation outside the region for the shop's craftsmanship and attention to detail. / COURTESY PROVIDENCE OPTICAL
PROVIDENCE OPTICAL owners Lee Kuczewski, left, and Onega Astaltasova have gained a reputation outside the region for the shop's craftsmanship and attention to detail. / COURTESY PROVIDENCE OPTICAL

PROVIDENCE – Providence Optical was named one of “America’s Finest Optical Retailers” for 2014 by “Invision” magazine, a business publication for eyewear professionals.
The publication was impressed by Providence Optical’s commitment to craftsmanship and attention to the finer details, but it also received praise for its connection to the local community “through its transparent pricing policies or support of local events,” remarked Julie Fanselow, editor-in-chief of “Invision” in the July/August issue.
Providence Optical opened in 2006 by Onega Astaltsova and there are only three employees. Astaltsova is American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners certified, and she also earned a degree in footwear design from the Moscow Institute of Technology. The optician, Lee Kuczewski, is the co-founder of Lee Allen Eyewear, a producer of handmade eyeglasses in the U.S.
The 1,000-square-foot boutique, nested along Westminster Street, touts a high-end feel. The price for an eye exam begins at $60, which is posted on the shop window. Passers-by also may have noticed the eye-catching artwork that is on display. The latest masterpiece was created by guest artist, Ieva Liepina and the piece was inspired by Marc Chagall’s “Over the Town.”
Some of the top brands carried are Blackfin, Italia Independent, Lunettes Kollektion, Seraphin, Swissflex and Undostrial. Providence Optical also offers an extensive and eclectic array of vintage frames, with hundreds of pairs dating from the 1800s to the 1990s.

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