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“Eye Candy Optical Center” is located at Donaldson’s Crossroads in Peters Township and is owned by Dr. Monika Marczak, D.O. Dr. Monika’s optometry practice & eye wear store was located at the Giant Eagle in Peters Township. With the lease about to end, she needed to find a new location for the business.
Dr. Monika interviewed two contractors and received bids for the build out. She hired J. Francis Company because we were willing and able to value engineer the project to meet the construction budget. This was accomplished by salvaging the casework (there were a total of 53 cabinets), track lighting, eye wear displays, reception desk, and fitting tables from the old location. Dr. Monika was able to focus on design elements for the new store including sandblasting a painted brick wall to restore it to the natural brick color. Two curved walls with reclaimed wood supports continued the adaptive reuse theme in the store. A three month construction project… J. Francis completed the build-out in 7 weeks, reducing the number of days the business was closed to make the transition from the old to new location. The store is brightly colored, warm, and attractive with ample room for browsing the extensive eyewear collection.
Melissa Barnes of Desmone & Associates, Architects did the design drawings. Monika was represented by Pat Sentner & Ed Lawrence of NAI Pittsburgh Commercial for the lease signed with Zamagias Properties. Open now for business, you can check it out at: 3923 Washington Road (Route 19 South) in Peters Township. Go to: www.eyecandy.com or call 724.941.5100.
Loan applications, insurance policies, workers compensation, bank accounts, and numerous of leasing spaces until you find that right one-the one that puts a twinkle in your eye. You sign the lease and after months of preparations you are now a business owner. However, by that time you have filled out hundreds of pages of paperwork, you have read hundreds of pages clauses and disclosures and the work has not yet began on the building of your dream space.
This was exactly where I found myself just 8 weeks ago. It was finally the time to transform that same space that put a twinkle in my eye into my dream work space. With all the horror stories of unfinished constructions, of unreliable contractors and hundreds of rules and regulations to follow, the task of finding the right company seemed daunting. As most business owner, I had a budget to adhere to but I wished for a company that would deliver a perfect "jewel box" on time and most of all on budget. I met with few too many until I met Jean Krak from J. Francis Company whose presentation of abilities and a list of past clients was music to my ears. But could a woman who just met me and listened to my vision care this much this fast? Most of all, what price tag did this care and personal attention carry?
Please do not repeat what you will read next- I was wrong! Jean and John McCloskey used our numerous conversations to get to know me in order to translate my vision into reality. And please note that I did not make the task very easy by leaving J. Francis Company with ONLY 6 weeks to deliver my "jewel box", but I never heard inkling of doubt. Not only did my dream require a full construction of a new space but in order to complete the office, they needed to remove and relocate my existing cabinetry, so I could complete the project not only on time but under budget.
Jean orchestrated a delicate dance of hundreds of moving parts, which allowed me to continue seeing patients as the construction crew deconstructed cabinet by cabinet like a stealth army of soldiers. I took pride in each decision; most of all my color choices which I wished to protect my vision from spectators until the opening day. Once again, I did not hear "No" when I asked the site manager John to cover all the windows from public eye. And meeting after meeting, my "Dream Team" from J. Francis Company made me feel like this was the easiest task I ever encountered.
If you are not yet impressed by the level of professionalism or by the level of consciousness for the budget, or their ability to relocate, reuse and reclaim, maybe I will struck a cord with my last statement!
"We finished a week ahead of schedule and $87 dollars under budget!"
Dr. Monika Marczak
Owner of Eye Candy Optical Center
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