20/20 Magazine’s James Spina (r)
presents Edward Beiner with the 2019 OPTImum Retailer Award.
NEW YORK—Edward Beiner, founder and CVO for Edward Beiner, is the winner of the 2019 OPTImum Retailer Award. The announcement was made at yesterday’s Boutique Panel in the BRIDGE. The OPTImum Retailer Award celebrates independent boutique retailers by allowing them to showcase their products, stores, visions and stories to the entire optical industry. Now in its third year, the exclusive Boutique Buyer Panel featured an esteemed group of panelists who shared their unique perspectives on the topic of independent eyewear at Vision Expo East 2019.

The panel, titled The Freedom of Independence, discussed the relationship between retailers and vendors in the realm of optical independents.

Panelists included: Gary Black, Black Optical; Julia Gogosha, Gogosha Optique; Utenzi Miller, Elegant Eyes; Selima Salaun, Selima Optique; Gai Gherardi, l.a.Eyeworks; Rebecca Giefer, Modo Eyewear; Nico Roseillier, Europa Eyewear and STATE Optical Co.; and Peter M. Waszkiewicz, Randolph Eyewear.

James Spina, vice president and editor-in-chief of 20/20 Magazine, moderated the conversation to provide each panelist with the opportunity to share his or her unique story.

In addition to Edward Beiner, this year’s top finalists included:

• Art of Optiks – Wayzata, Minnesota
• Black Optical – Dallas, Texas, Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Focus Optical – The Woodlands, Texas
• Le Lunetier Milan – Milan, Italy.