By Denis Langlois

Mike Christiansen designs all of the frames that are sold in his Venus Eye Boutique stores.
He also works with each client that walks through the door to help them find the styles that make them look their best.
“The right colour and shape can actually make individuals look younger, healthier, more rested and more radiant,” he says.

Christiansen grew up surrounded by the eyeglass business, as his mother worked for an optometrist for 35 years. His first job was with an optical company.
Later, he founded Venus Eye Designs and began developing new frame styles. Today, his designs can be found in thousands of optical shops across Canada and the United States.
Christiansen opened his first retail optical boutique in 2007 in Edmonton, Alta. Three years later, he opened a second shop in Kelowna, B.C.
A staff of opticians, optical assistants and doctors work at Venus Eye Boutiques.

Recently, Optical Prism spoke with Christiansen about his business.

Q. What kind of clientele does your store service?
A. We service a large array of discerning clientele comprised of the everyday consumers who wish to look and feel better with locally designed Venus eyewear. We have clients that travel from around the globe to enjoy our expert service and knowledge of looking, feeling and seeing better in the proper pair of Venus Eyewear.

Q. What are the primary brand names your store features?
A. We only sell and provide Venus Eye Design eyewear to our customers in our boutiques. Designing, creating, individualising and selling our own products gives us the ability to create what our clients want. The ability to help the customer create their own look and to build the best possible style and look for their needs.

Q. What kind of marketing tools do you use?
A. 90% of our business is by word of mouth. We also use social media. Someone sees a person wearing a Venus frame and they will ask you where did you get those glasses? They are stunning! Of course our clients always tell them they have to go to Venus to get the most amazing, coolest glasses ever!

Q. What are some of the benefits of operating an independent outlet?
A. We create, design, individualise and sell our own products. We can control a very high quality of product and offer the best range of styles, colours and Venus products to our clients.
Our clients want to wear and support us because of the end results. Whether they are local or international clients that travel to our boutiques, the result is the same. We help guide them through what works best for them as an individual and in terms of shape and colour. What hides their flaws and accentuates their positive attributes? What makes them look younger and more rested? We open up a world of fabulous possibilities and show them what they have been missing. Throughout this journey, they see the results instantly when they look in the mirror.
They love Venus Eye Boutiques because they are not just wearing glasses anymore they are accentuating themselves as a person. Once they decide on the styles they love they are proud to share their incredible experience they had at Venus and encourage others to do the same.

Q. Are there any changes or plans for the future for the store?
A. We are always adding new materials, shapes, styles and colours to our own Venus designs. We have clients who collect our limited edition designs and they keep coming back for more.