Broadway Plaza

Meet our Optician, Donovan

Tell us a little about yourself. Who are you outside of Quay (educational background, hobbies, favorite things, etc.)?

Outside of Quay, I am a musician and an aspiring motivational speaker. I have played in several states along the east coast ranging from New York to Louisiana, and now in several cities on the West Coast. I am classically trained to play several instruments such as the Piano, Drums, and Saxophone and many of their variations in many different genres ranging from Classical to Jazz. Due to my musical ambidexterity, I played a supportive role for many artists, but I am also an artist. My stage name is Nova Spence.

How long have you worked in the Optical industry? How did you get started?

I have only been in the optical industry for four years. However, in just those few years, I was positioned around generals in the optical. I have always been ambitious and hungry for knowledge, so I always found myself at the foot of experience. I pulled every bit of information I could- every technique, every process, every trick, and every rule. My teachers taught me so much that although my years suggest I would only be getting my feet wet, I can operate like a veteran without hesitation, and my customers trust that they're in good hands.

What would you consider your favorite part about being an Optician? If possible, share a meaningful story or experience with a customer.

My favorite part of being an optician is that I can brighten someone's day with merely an adjustment. I've been doing this long enough to know that in most cases, it's more than "just an adjustment." I have had people break down in tears because I showed them kindness and then brought back to life something dear to them that was thought to be dead, just from an adjustment. We never know what people go through in a day, and just being able to lift someone's spirits by doing something that I enjoy makes it much more rewarding.

When did you start working as an Optician at Quay? What’s it like working at Quay?

I started working as an optician with Quay this year in April, and it has been a breath of fresh air. My last practice was so stressful and unsupportive that it began to weigh on my mental health. Here at Quay, I feel far more supported and valued as a person, not just a tool or an employee. I've been made to feel so comfortable from the moment I joined the Quay-Squad, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Even when my life suddenly went into crisis, everyone that knew about it extended their support and let me know that I was not alone in my situation. That's all anyone could ever ask. It's hard enough going through something, but it's worse going through it alone; thanks to our incredible team, I didn't have to walk alone. For that, I'll always be grateful.

What is your favorite pair of Quays? How do they make you feel when you wear them?

This question is the hardest one of all! My favorite pair of Quay's has to be the Wanna Party. I love them because, although they are technically classified as a Sunny, they're clear enough to wear anywhere, including rooms with low lighting, and I never have to take them off. They're so elegant, yet rigid, so vulnerable, yet veiled, so lofty, yet fragile. I guess I'm in love with its sheer dichotomous nature. It's like a 100,000-ton ship defying the pull of gravity in the middle of the ocean depending on merely buoyancy and the command of its helmsman. When I have them on, I feel like I'm wearing a frame that connects deeply to who I truly am and what I've come to understand about myself. The more I learn, the more value I add to myself. However, dichotomy comes into play because the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. So when I am an old man, I will be just like that 100,000-ton ship, having complete confidence that I can carry hundreds of people from one place to another safely, yet having full knowledge of my weight and my fragility- just like the Wanna Party.