When Christos Tsiplakos and his older brother founded Native Ken Eyewear back in 2010, friends warned them against opening a business during a recession.
“A lot of people were saying we were crazy for opening at such a bad time,” says Tsiplakos. “It was during probably the worst part of it. But then again with glasses, people need them.”
So the New York-based optical company weathered the storm. Today it’s thriving, making custom lenses and frames. Native Ken Eyewear also retails for several independent eyewear designers.
Ken means “range of vision,” which ties into the original idea for the company.
“The name is more based around the fact that we do produce our own products in the U.S.,” explains Tsiplakos, a WeWork Commons member. “A lot of people don’t realize that the better optics started in Upstate New York, like Ray-Ban.”
This is part of the reason that the company opened in New York’s trendy Chelsea neighborhood. Many of his customers are in fashion, including designers and architects.
“They appreciate details and the step-by-step process that each product goes through,” says Tsiplakos, “compared to the bigger corporations that mass-produce everything.”
Tsiplakos and his brother always dreamed of starting their own company. First-generation Greek immigrants, both boys used to help out in their family’s restaurants. Their father—who came to this country with $1,000 in his pocket and no proficiency in English—insisted that they go to college. But Tsiplakos had other plans.
“Growing up, I always wanted to do something on my own, because it’s really the only way to really get somewhere,” says Tsiplakos.
Tsiplakos had a background in eyewear after working with an optometrist, so he knew that it was a rapidly expanding market.
“Working with the optometrist was a real plus because I got to learn the whole backend of the medical aspect of the field,” Tsiplakos says. “The cool thing about the optical industry—it’s one of the only industries that fashion and healthcare meet.
Retail is an up-and-down business, especially with luxury eyewear. But a commitment to optics and people continue to drive him forward.
“I’m pretty passionate about optics, and I find it pretty amazing what a pair of lenses can do for somebody,” Tsiplakos says. “You gain a lot of trust from somebody when you really make something of quality, especially with eyewear.”
Looking back, Tsiplakos recognizes the risks he took opening a business without any mass-marketing experience or a substantial client base. Native Ken immediately decided to open a brick-and-mortar store.
“The day I opened the store, we had never made a sale before,” Tsiplakos reflects. “So seeing how far we’ve come, and then having a client base after a few years, it’s humbling. But you never know what’s gonna happen.”
Photo credit: Native Ken Eyewear