By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — A little over 30 years ago, Paul and Cheryl Millet went into business for themselves and bought out the other owners of LaPlace eye center Saint Optical.

This year, they moved their much-beloved store to a new location — just a stone’s throw away from where it all began.

Saint Optical’s new location, 1518 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace, means the business can now carry close to 1,400 frame styles, including more options than ever before for patients with Medicare and Medicaid.

Two independent doctors of optometry, D. Michael Ostrick and Jennifer Moncada, practice at the store, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday by appointment only.

Paul said from the beginning, Saint Optical has been Cheryl’s labor of love.

“She created this store on her own,” Paul said of the store, which offers eyeglasses, contact lenses, safety eyewear and eye exams.

With over 12,000 patient charts representing customers from the River Region and offering a wide range of eye and sight testing, Cheryl said the decision to move into a new and more modern building was in part made for them.

“We had to get a bigger business,” she said, adding it was very much on purpose that the new location was close to their long-standing address of 916 Carrollwood Drive in LaPlace.

“We were very happy where we were,” Cheryl said. “We had wonderful landlords, but there just wasn’t any more space available.”

She said the move into the new store has been in the works for seven months, and being in the new location for the holiday season means opportunities for various Christmas specials, including same-as-cash financing, and a liquidation sale of designer frames for $10.

“Coming here (to the new location) allowed us to offer more,” Cheryl said.

With the additional space, Saint Optical now offers hundreds of new prescription frames, as well as offering non-prescription sunglasses as well. The larger store, which boasts more modern technology, also led to the hiring of three additional employees.

Paul said more designer frames — including Ray-Ban, Kenneth Cole and Coach — are offered as well, adding he is particularly proud of a partnership with Costa Del Mar that allows sunglass frames to be fitted with prescription lenses.

“We can satisfy our patients’ needs so much greater than before,” Cheryl said.

Paul said Saint Optical has “absolutely” seen an increase in business since taking over its new location, and a grand opening for the store would be planned soon.

Gift certificates are available for the holidays. For more information or to set up an appointment, call 985-652-4097.