New boutique eyewear shop opens in Atascadero
Kyla Skinner: founder of Specs by Kyla. Photo by Saab Sahi.
Shop offers prescription frames, sunglasses and more
–Atascadero gained another new business last month on July 5 when long-time optician Kyla Skinner, 42, opened up her glasses boutique shop called Specs by Kyla.
With over 200 adult-sized frames in stock that start around $150, the shop offers a wide selection ranging from rectangular to cat-eyed style frames, as well as sunglasses. Frames are sourced from small and independent brands across the world that deliver high-quality products and services to their customers and are crafted all over the world including in Spain, France, Italy and the United States. Custom colors and sizes can be ordered unless the products are from a limited production run.
“I definitely try to carry and select frames to appeal to everybody,” said Skinner.
Brands on offer include:
- Kala from California.
- Ahlem from France.
- Woow from France.
- Raen from California.
- Lowercase from New York City.
- ProDesign from Denmark.
- Moscot from New York City.
- 141 Eyewear from Portland, Ore.
- Lool from Spain.
The shop offers complimentary eyeglasses repair for small damage. It also offers adjustments to ensure customers’ eyeglasses fit the best that they can.
The new boutique is located at 5808 Traffic Way, Atascadero, in a space that her family worked together to prepare during weekends and evenings for two months while she was still working as an optician. They refinished the floor, changed out lighting, painted and her husband handmade display shelving for the sunglasses and frames.
Shelves made by Skinner’s husband with some glasses on display. Photo by Saab Sahi.
Skinner, who was raised in Templeton, began working in the optical field immediately after High School and landed a position at an optometrist’s office at 18-years-old. After studying and learning on the job for a couple of years, she earned her optician certification through the American Board of Opticianry in 1999.
“I really love the combination of technology, the medical part of it, the fashion part of it and customer service,” said Skinner.
She moved to North Carolina around 2007 and lived there for three years until 2010, during which time she was able to help an optometrist open a new practice and gained knowledge on what it takes to start a business. However, her family decided to move back to California as they missed the Central Coast and their family here.
Upon returning to California, Skinner worked at an optometrist’s office in San Luis Obispo for over ten years until realizing that she wanted to try a new challenge and open up a business that she could run her own way.
That idea grew into a real possibility after she received the tragic news that her birth mother had passed away in December of 2019 and her birth family had left her an inheritance. She decided to open the business on July 5, which is also Skinner’s birthday, to honor her birth mother and the opportunity she was given.
“The one day that I know we had together,” said Skinner.
Skinner initially considered opening her shop in Paso Robles, but ultimately chose Atascadero as she thought it would be a better fit.
“I feel like everybody tries to support each other and that’s really cool,” said Skinner.
She hopes to expand her business in the future and offer more in the store, such as glasses accessories. Skinner also wants to cut her own lens in the future to offer faster service, but currently, lenses are currently sourced from Hoya Vision, which provides digitally surfaced lenses in either single-vision or progressive.
“I see a lot of modern, fun, vibrancy coming to Atascadero both through the businesses and people moving in,” said Skinner.
