Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabio Pineda II.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Fabio Pineda. I was born in Bogota, Colombia, in 1985 and migrated to Houston at the age of seven with my mother (illegally due to our circumstances) while my father had already been here for about five years. I grew up in Katy like most immigrant families with struggles of not being a native speaker, went through the hardships of not having much but was thankful to have food on my plate and a roof over my shoulders. Along with my mother and father, we would deliver newspapers and magazines early in the mornings and sold ornaments on the side of the road during the holidays to make ends meet. With great perseverance, my mother and father established a small optical shop in the heard of north side where I would learn to hone my craft in the optical business. During this time, I attended UOH taking numerous management and marketing courses that I would later apply to my business.
In Feb of 2019, I walked away from my original optical office and went off to work for the prestigious fashion house of Kering I took on the role of Brand Ambassador for the entire state of Texas, representing such lines as Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Montblanc, and many others. I took this great opportunity as a learning experience and was able to create my vision of Eye Boutique. I took on the enormous risk of leaving a high-paying job at a time when unemployment was at an all-time high and in July of 2020, during one of the worst times in history established Eye Boutique. It would be almost a year before we opened our doors, and in May of 2021, I was able to bring to life a true luxury Eye Exam experience, Incorporating all of the opulence of a fashion boutique while at the same time proving a top of the line medical service.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. From dealing with the ever so unhelpful city permit offices to the inflation in construction cost making the original budget non-existent, it has been an uphill battle, to say the least. Also, mix in all of the constant COVID challenges into a cold start business, and this formula will make for many sleepless nights.
As you know, we’re big fans of Eye Boutique. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Eye Boutique is one of a kind. There is no other optometry practice in Houston that operates the way we do. From start to finish, we roll out the red carpet for our clients. From the second you walk in our door, our decor will blow you away, then you are greeted with smiling faces offering you cappuccinos, espressos (hand made) in our barista bar, to champagnes and wines with pastries. We feel that the high-end luxury brands we represent should be treated with the respect due to their heritage and not like some simple medical device like most other offices. We are not a high-volume business, and we do not aspire to be one either. We wish to convey a one-of-a-kind experience for our customers and while they are in our office, they are treated like royalty. Our hope is to build a luxury brand that is recognized by our over-the-top customer service and the incredible visual aspects from our ever-changing store decor.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
When a customer says to me, they do not feel like they are in a doctor’s office or when they say they have never received this level of service. This to me, brings immense joy because it lets me know that my vision is being understood.
Pricing:
- Routine eye exam/glasses eye exam $79
- Contact lens eye exam $99
- Eye Infection eye exams $119
Contact Info:
- Email: Eyeboutiquehouston@gmail.com
- Website: www.myeyeboutique.com
- Instagram: @eyeboutiquehouston
- Facebook: @eyeboutiquehouston
- Yelp: Yelp.com/biz/my-eye-boutique-houston
- Other: https://g.page/r/CfEAmxBOXkKREAo/review
Image Credits:
Doogie Laroux
