SHARON, Penn.—The middle of a global pandemic might not seem like the ideal time to embark on any major business ventures, but, for Pennsylvania-based indie brand Eyes of Faith, things are working out pretty perfectly. Last month, the team moved into their brand new showroom and headquarters, located in downtown Sharon, Pennsylvania—a town that co-founder and president Jim Schneider said is “known for its industrial heritage.” Now, Eyes of Faith is kicking off a new era in a new home—and they’re excited.

The decision to open a showroom is twofold, Schneider told The Independent Eye. He said, “Our friends and family have always requested private style sessions, so we can give them personal recommendations about shape, color, and fit, and this gives us an official place to provide that service.

“Plus, we’ve always wanted to build a presence for Eyes of Faith in our community as it’s an obvious way to create more local brand awareness, but it also builds the credibility and authenticity of our brand for all of the patients who might be searching for more information about our brand before buying from their local eye doctor.” Opening a physical showroom makes Eyes of Faith eyewear accessible to potential customers—making customers connect to it more than something they could buy online.

Jim and Amy Schneider.

To create this accessible and authentic atmosphere, Eyes of Faith chose a space that reflects not only their brand aesthetic, but their town’s aesthetic as well. Schneider said, “Sharon, the location of our headquarters, is known for its industrial heritage, so when we had the opportunity to move into a space that brought the history alive with a renovated 1908 building, we knew this was the place. The space is ‘industrial chic,’ combining historically relevant exposed brick and ceilings with glass walls that give it a modern vibe.”

Eyes of Faith is also hoping their move will help support the revitalization of Sharon’s downtown community, too—bringing foot and economic traffic to the area. For them, this combination of brand and community aesthetic is a perfect mix. Schneider said, “the building chose us, so to speak. The space size and layout was already built perfectly for us. We simply moved in with our existing furnishings and it feels like we had the furniture curated specifically for the space—that’s how well it matched our brand aesthetic!”




Schneider said the new space has also helped Eyes of Faith support its ECP partners, as they are now able to offer online and in-person appointments to see the collection. Eyes of Faith then directs patients to their local Eyes of Faith ECP provider. Schneider said, “We love serving our loyal supporters and bringing business to our partners—it’s the best of both worlds.”

While the rest of the world was transitioning to at-home offices, the Eyes of Faith team was doing the opposite. Prior to this, co-founder and frame designer Amy Schneider used the spare bedroom in her home as a design studio, while Jim worked from the warehouse location. Now, Jim said, “having a dedicated space with the new optical boutique and design studio has been great for our work-life balance.”