Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/48190
ne Business Frame Job owner of Andover Eye Care, sets himself up for stardom in the eyewear industry. By Felicity Long Todd Berberian, the optician-turned-designer and W hat does an opti- cian do on his day off? How about design a line of eyewear so popular that his sunglasses will soon be featured in a movie? Such is the case of Todd Berberian, owner of Andover Eye Care, who created his line of Todd Rogers eyeglass frames in 2010. 84 nshoremag.com December/Holiday 2011 In a way, Berberian's story is a modern- day version of The Little Engine That Could. After all, breaking into an industry dominated by famous designers during an economic recession takes—no pun intended—vision. And, as Berberian points out, who understands vision more than an optician? "I'm a bad artist, but I've always liked Todd Berberian takes a news break at the MBTA Commuter Rail stop in Andover. Train of Thought fashion," says Berberian, who has been an optician for 20 years. But while his store sold some of the biggest brands in eye- wear, he said he was often disappointed in the quality and style of the products. "One of the reasons I did this is that I was tired of buying super-expensive products that, when they arrived, weren't perfect. They were crooked, or the plastic was of an in- ferior quality. And keep in mind that these are selling for big bucks." He soon found himself working after hours, creating his own designs and teach- ing himself more advanced techniques in cutting lenses. He learned to customize photographs by bob packert