PEOPLE & PLACES | BIG SIT
NAME: Jordan Silver
NAME: Jordan Silver
BUSINESS: Silver Lining Opticians
TIME IN BUSINESS: 16 Years
LOCATION: 92 Thompson Street, between Prince & Spring, across Vesuvio Park.
INSTA: @silverliningopticians
WEB: silverliningopticians.com
*This interview was condensed & modified for clarity purposes.
Silver Lining is owned by Jordan Silver and Erik Sacher. If you happen by, you’ll find Jordan tinkering on a pair of glasses. Guy will be indelibly setting the mood.
MK: So, let's start at the beginning. How did you get into eyewear? What was your entry point?
JS: In college I moved to Paris for a semester, and some friends told me I needed sunglasses - so I would seem less like a tourist and get through the world without making as much eye contact. But before that, my father wore tinted glasses all the time and I thought he was in the Mafia - he always looked really cool. I collected his vintage glasses and used to buy some at flea markets. In college I started buying a lot of vintage glasses, from people who used to own stores and whenever I would travel I'd go to their stores and houses, and buy everything in their basement for cheap.
My first job at an optical store was right after high school as a part time job, and I had a vintage collection I used to sell from there, and people just responded really well, and a couple years later we opened this store. The vintage shades and eyeglasses taught us a lot about the quality that used to be made and informed our buying decisions going forward – to just carry brands that had that same construction ethos and quality.
MK: So, you’re still in the vintage game?
JS: Yes, but it's a smaller portion of our business because there's not as much vintage as there used to be. So, we sell a number of contemporary brands that are not sold anywhere else in the neighborhood.
All the brands we carry are of the highest quality. We're a place of discovery so very few people come in asking for something specific, but rather to find something new.
MK: How have you made your mark in the game for over 16 years now? Why are you different?
JS: We don't carry any licensed merchandise. No Luxottica, or licensed brands. Prada is an amazing brand, and their clothing and bags are all made by them, but when you get to their fragrance and makeup and sunglasses it's all licensed and not the core, and it becomes a cheap entry point for buying into the brand. We don't subscribe to that business model; we work with companies that have eyewear as their only focus.
MK: You basically curate a person's whole look. I remember so vividly, we were having an espresso, you told me, “Men look at shoes, and women are looking at your face and your eyewear, so you need to get that dialed in." That stuck with me.
JS: I mean, If I wear selvedge denim and really nice shoes, I don't think the women notice that as much as other dudes into fashion, but what you wear on your face is really noticeable immediately.
MK: There is a method to your madness, I've experienced it: I walk in, and we try things, lots of things. It's fun, but a process.
JS: Yeah, but it's more about your personal style. I mean with you, you're always happy to experiment with new things, shapes, try on new things, and that's always really fun to work with. It's harder to work with someone that says they “only wear tortoise shell.” Shopping by color isn't as effective in my mind as shopping by shape. We try to get people to see that the shape matters.
MK: Yeah, it's an experience in here, for sure. You peruse, chat, try things on. I always say this in real estate, it's important to see different things. People need context. You're kind of shepherding that process... What are we listening to right now, by the way?
GUY: Oscar Peterson Trio.
JS: We've been on a little bit of a jazz trip. We've gone through different periods with our music. You change the playlist all the time?
GUY: Yeah. Everybody likes everything, it's really moody, it changes all the time. We are here every day, so it has to change for us, and we go on our different kicks. We just want to be in a good mood and enjoy what we're listening to.
MK: Well, I’m loving this.
JS: There are deeper cuts usually.
GUY: They can be, they can be. It might be the most shallow cut in the world; it could be Oscar Peterson Trio and the next song might be Fergie. If you don't like the music, sit tight, just sit tight. That's my philosophy.
GUY: They can be, they can be. It might be the most shallow cut in the world; it could be Oscar Peterson Trio and the next song might be Fergie. If you don't like the music, sit tight, just sit tight. That's my philosophy.
MK: Retail in NYC is bonkers. What are your highlights & lowlights of being in retail?
JS: Yeah, I mean, you never know who's coming in that day. It can be customers that have dozens of pairs and it's their favorite thing. Those are good days. There are people who only buy one pair a year, and just appreciate the quality and service that we provide. We base it a lot on personal style, and I think style evolves. You may not have liked yourself in round glasses as a kid, but later you may come back around to it. When it comes to, "Can I wear a round frame? A black frame?" Of course you can. We try to help people in a different, less conventional way.
MK: So, what's the eyewear scene like in SoHo?
JS: I feel like we've really become a destination, I mean the neighborhood itself is a destination only for eyewear shopping, there are 10 stores in Soho you can get glasses. If you're shopping around, this is a good area. We're really the only multi brand store that only carries independent eyewear. If someone asks what the highest quality brand is, they're all the highest quality brand. There's no wall of lesser frames, or insurance frames, or Medicare frames, it's all high-end independent.
MK: You've done some work with some famous clientele right? What projects have your fingerprints on them?
JS: Yeah, like Von Miller's eyewear collection. He now has his own line with GlassesUSA, but some of them have clearly been influenced by vintage he got here. We do actors, and do stuff for roles with stylists, that's always fun. We used to work with Jay Z. I think his stylists and assistants got to the point where they wanted to be able to replace his frames in any city, for a cheaper amount. So instead of wearing the expensive frames he always bought, he wears sort of cheaper alternatives now.
MK: Not trying to name drop all your people but you've basically serviced all the stars in the eyewear game. And me. *wink*
JS: Basically yeah, haha.
MK: Okay. I have a problem. When I walk into a nice shop, I feel like I need to buy something. That's problematic in NYC. What are things that “grind your gears” about the retail shopper?
JS: I think that when people come in with a know-it-all sidekick, it’s difficult to impart our method of choosing glasses on them. When someone is reluctant to even try things on it’s hard to work with them. That’s a minority of people though. Most people come in and do a loop, and we try and make it as accessible and playful as possible. We just help guide them once they get settled in and used to the music and the vibe.
MK: Let’s talk about styles, shapes, frames. What is the look de jour that’s in right now?
JS: I think the 90s are kind of back in a way with like big coverage glasses with thick temples. The aviator is having a moment. But to us these moments aren’t as significant because all the eyewear we carry is pretty timeless and it doesn’t really go out of style. We got a new brand in called District Vision. You need to check those out.
It really subscribes to our philosophy of independent eyewear made in Japan with titanium core wires and end pieces that flip over to hold on to your face. Just a cool sports brand that no one else really carries in retail.
MK: Okay. I have a problem. When I walk into a nice shop, I feel like I need to buy something. That's problematic in NYC. What are things that “grind your gears” about the retail shopper?
JS: I think that when people come in with a know-it-all sidekick, it’s difficult to impart our method of choosing glasses on them. When someone is reluctant to even try things on it’s hard to work with them. That’s a minority of people though. Most people come in and do a loop, and we try and make it as accessible and playful as possible. We just help guide them once they get settled in and used to the music and the vibe.
MK: Let’s talk about styles, shapes, frames. What is the look de jour that’s in right now?
JS: I think the 90s are kind of back in a way with like big coverage glasses with thick temples. The aviator is having a moment. But to us these moments aren’t as significant because all the eyewear we carry is pretty timeless and it doesn’t really go out of style. We got a new brand in called District Vision. You need to check those out.
It really subscribes to our philosophy of independent eyewear made in Japan with titanium core wires and end pieces that flip over to hold on to your face. Just a cool sports brand that no one else really carries in retail.
MK: What’s your go-to?
JS: Eyevan.
MK: Eyevan. Japanese?
JS: Yeah.
MK: Guy, what are you wearing?
GUY: Rose and Co. It’s an Aviator. Tinted.
MK: Let’s talk Real Estate adjacent things and your history. You have a background in design and architecture, right?
JS: Yeah, I have a Masters in urban planning.
MK: How does that inform this?
JS: Well I think when you walk down a street in a new city or place you get a vibe from it. Whether you’re able to describe it from a place of urban planning or not you enjoy it in a certain way. I love the human scale [in] the architecture of this neighborhood, not being next to skyscrapers or in an office park or suburban strip mall… gives us a feeling that I like and learned about in school; where people walk. You get to be part of a neighborhood, with cafes and offices and residences. I didn’t particularly enjoy working in urban planning, but I enjoy basing myself in parts of the city that are designed well.
MK: I’ve been reading a lot about walkable urbanism. New York is that. There’s something magical about walkability and the impromptu. "What will I run into next?"
JS: Who’ve you been reading?
MK: Twitter. Real Estate Developers. We have a building crisis, not enough inventory. So how do you combat that? How do you build more, and build more stuff to help people satisfy their lives. It’s interesting. Speaking of, what are your go-to spots around here?
JS: Yeah of course. Raoul's around the corner is a standby. Been around forever, right around the corner. What’s that new one up the street? The coffee shop just up the block, Fellini.
GUY: It’s cool, it’s like the Instagram spot where everyone goes to look cool with a coffee, it’s a nice spot.
JS: They have great uniforms and a really well-designed space. Good ham and cheese croissant.
MK: Let's talk joy – what's the highlight of your work day?
JS: When the customer is really satisfied with their new glasses. And stoked at their purchase.
MK: Is there a feedback loop?
JS: Most of the time if they get a great pair of glasses they come back for their next pair. If they’re from out of town we’re a stop on their trip, just like their favorite restaurant.
JS: Let me fix those for you… *takes MK’s glasses to clean*
MK: What do you see for the next few years? For the shop and yourself.
JS: We’re in a groove, and I hope that groove stays, where people enjoy shopping here and we really enjoy working here. We enjoy helping people. I think the satisfaction that a client gets from a new pair of glasses is a lot different than buying a new sweater that they wear once every couple of weeks. It’s a half medical device and half fashion item, so they wear it every day. The amount of time they spend thinking about the purchase is usually longer than picking out a tee or something. Contemplating “what’s my next pair of glasses” is gonna be a journey.