Shop local, ook bij de opticien!

Meestal schrijven wij over mooie brillen en zonnebrillen maar in deze Coronatijden maken we soms een uitzondering. Vandaag publiceerde de Volkskrant namelijk een interview met opticien Ton Greving…

Ton Greving is boos. Op politici die van alles beloven en uiteindelijk niets veranderen en op winkelketens die zich laakbaar en moreel verwerpelijk gedragen. En hij heeft helemaal gelijk. Want het kan niemand ontgaan zijn. Er is nogal wat ophef over grote bedrijven en winkelketens die de huur niet betalen, hun leveranciers afknijpen en vooraan staan om steun van de overheid te krijgen. Ook in de optiekbranche. Deze bedrijven verdienen heel veel geld maar reserveren niets voor ‘slechte’ tijden zoals deze. Ze keren alle winst direct uit aan de aandeelhouders. Bovendien zijn het meesters in het wegsluizen van belastinggeld dat ze eigenlijk zouden moeten betalen, zijn ze vaak in belastingparadijzen gevestigd en ontduiken ze op allerlei manieren de verplichting om bij te dragen aan onze nationale economie. Specsavers doet dat al jaren met slimme constructies en een hoofdvestiging op het eiland Guernsey waardoor het in Nederland nauwelijks belasting betaald. Volgens dit artikel in de Volkskrant in 2019 welgeteld 800 duizend euro op een omzet van 158 miljoen euro. Hoewel het bedrijf ontkent belasting te ontwijken, weigert het ook opening van zaken te geven. Hans Anders is officieel in Luxemburg gevestigd en ontloopt zo ook de normale belastingen in Nederland. De geldstromen van GrandVision lopen langs Monaco, de Antillen en Bermuda. In het verleden is er al het nodige over geschreven maar veranderd is er uiteindelijk niets. En nu er crisis is profiteren deze zelfde bedrijven, net als tal van anderen in andere branches, volop van de Nederlandse overheidssteun. Niet voor niets worden daar steeds meer vraagtekens bijgezet en groeit de roep om een beleid waarin alleen steun verleend wordt aan bedrijven die op een normale manier bijdragen aan de Nederlandse economie.

Bovenop al die slimme constructies weigeren verschillende optiekketens eenzijdig om in deze tijd huur te betalen. GrandVision kwam daarmee eerder al in het nieuws en Quote berichtte ook al over Hans Anders dat de betaling van de huur eveneens opschortte. Hans Anders is eigendom van de schatrijke investeringsmaatschappij 3i en dat soort clubs denken in goede tijden alleen aan zichzelf en wentelen in slechte tijden de problemen graag op anderen af. Laakbaar en verwerpelijk.

Het zijn de kleine zelfstandige ondernemers die nu de kar trekken en gelukkig krijgen alle ‘winkel lokaal’ initiatieven veel aandacht en support. Hopelijk herinnert iedereen zich straks ook nog hoe al die grote winkelketens zich hebben gedragen en blijven we massaal kiezen voor de lokale zelfstandige ondernemers. Want terwijl u denkt bij al die ketens goedkoop uit te zijn, kosten ze u aan de andere kant veel geld. Als alle grote bedrijven normaal belasting zouden betalen, zou de belasting voor burgers immers aanzienlijk omlaag kunnen en zouden de lasten eerlijker verdeeld kunnen worden. Zo hoort dat te zijn en Ton Greving maakt zich er terecht boos over dat het niet zo is en dat de politiek dat laat gebeuren. Niemand wordt beter van al die belastingvoordelen behalve de aandeelhouders van dit soort bedrijven. Misschien zorgt deze Coronacrisis ervoor dat dat nu echt verandert!

NanaWoody&John Opticians of the Year are located in Didam and Zuidlaren

The NanaWoody&John Opticians of the Year have been announced. All six nominated stores of this year...

Beeks Oog & Oor from 's-Gravenzande, Konings Optiek from Veenendaal and 't-Brillehuus from Didam for Optician of the Year

And JIJ brillenenmeer from Zuidlaren, Brilstudio from Soest and Boutique Optique from Oosterbeek for Newcomer Optician of the Year - are great and inspiring ambassadors for all independent opticians and actually even for all independent retailers in our country. Together they symbolize many beautiful and fine independent stores that we really cannot do without.

This year, 't-Brillehuus and JIJ brillenenmeer went home with the Optician of the Year and Newcomer Optician of the Year Award respectively.

The many reactions to the nominations and now to the Awards on our social media and those of the stores show how much customers appreciate these entrepreneurs and care about them, and that is exactly what you do it all for as an independent entrepreneur.

To quote Kevin Roberts. They are all LOVEMARKS!

These NanaWoody&John Awards are on the one hand a recognition of and appreciation for entrepreneurship and on the other hand an encouragement for other (young) entrepreneurs. As an independent store you add something to every city and village that branches of chains and large retail companies will never be able to do. Let us cherish our independent stores! SHOP LOCAL!

NanaWoody&John announces nominations for Dutch Optician of the Year

The end of the year is traditionally the moment for the NanaWoody&John Optician of the Year Award. With the input of all suppliers/brands participating in the digital optician guide for the consumer, three shops have been nominated.

They each distinguish themselves in their own way through entrepreneurship, the courage to invest in beautiful and special shops and of course through excellent eye care and beautiful collections. Each of them is an ambassador for independent opticians.

The nominations for the NanaWoody&John
Optician of the Year are

Konings Opticien & Optometrist in Veenendaal

’t Brillehuus at Didam

Beeks Oog & Oor at ’s-Gravenzande

Newcomer Optician of the Year

For the first time this year a Newcomer Optician of the Year will also be chosen. The nominated stores show that you can also and perhaps especially in these times successfully start a new store and they also distinguish themselves, just like the three stores just mentioned, with original store design, perfect eye care and beautiful collections.

The nominations for the NanaWoody&John
Newcomer Optician of the Year are

Bril Studio in Soest

JIJ brillen & meer in Zuid-Laren

Boutique Optique in Oosterbeek

Announcement of the winners at the Masters Expo in Amsterdam

The announcement of the final winners will be extra special this year because it will take place for the first time on the unique stage of the Masters Expo that will take place in Amsterdam from 12 to 16 December. This unique event, which is experiencing its 23rd edition this year, is a tribute to entrepreneurship and the ambition to distinguish yourself. The 40,000 square meter exhibition space is full of entrepreneurs who have built a great company with vision, courage and belief in their own abilities, so the nominated opticians and the presentation of the Awards fit in perfectly.

NanaWoody&John has a beautiful stand together with Club BRILLANT and the partner brands Cazal, Masunaga, L.G.R, Lapima, Jaguar, Henry Jullien, Brett, Pucci and Moncler where the 40,000 visitors are warmly welcomed to discover the most beautiful (sun)glasses and will be informed about innovations in eye care and the best opticians in the Netherlands.

NanaWoody&John in major Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad

Last Saturday, Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad devoted extensive attention to glasses. The occasion was the 90th birthday of Nana Mouskouri.

The Greek singer became famous mainly through her music, but she also stood out because of her inseparable black glasses. The story about this was beautifully recorded by journalist Alexander van Eenennaam, who naturally came across www.nanawoodyandjohn.com during his search for information. After all, our name was inspired by Nana Mouskouri, Woody Allen and John Lennon, all of them well known for their iconic glasses. Contact was quickly made and ultimately resulted in almost two pages with a leading role for glasses.

(Sun)glasses can play an important role in creating an image like no other accessory. The article mentions numerous examples and there are of course many more. Perhaps you are one of those people who choose their glasses carefully for this reason.

NanaWoody&John wants to inspire and encourage everyone to choose a really beautiful pair of glasses that accentuates your personality and contributes to your self-confidence instead of a boring characterless frame. That is why we also like to refer you to passionate opticians with a love for their profession and with beautiful collections in their stores!

Fantastic contributions from Bobo's/Serengeti and Max voor Ogen to the Orange Babies project

During the NanaWoody&John Night at the Club last November in Amsterdam, Fiona Hering and Baba Sylla spoke passionately about the work of Orange Babies in Africa.

For 25 years, this organization has been committed to preventing children of HIV-infected mothers from also being born with the disease. They do great work and saved many lifes already. I have known Baba and Fiona and the work of Orange Babies for a long time, so the connection was quickly made. This year, NanaWoody&John and its partner stores and suppliers are committed to raising money to purchase a new mobile clinic for Orange Babies in South Africa.

All kinds of initiatives are now being developed and the first results are already known. Max voor Ogen in Schagen set aside a nice amount from every pair of glasses sold in January and recently donated the first 1,250 euros.

Bobo’s Sports Eyewear did the same for every Serengeti sunglasses sold in February and earlier this week presented a check for no less than 5,460 euros to Fiona and Baba.

Thanks to these two generous and committed donors, the counter already stands at 6,710 euros at the beginning of March and, as mentioned, there are many more great plans on their way, such as the special Scotch & Soda sunglasses, the proceeds of which will also go to Orange Babies.

We and Orange Babies are extremely grateful for all the support and we will keep you posted about new results in the months to come. I think with this collaboration the independent opticians and their suppliers show how they make the difference in every shopping street and everyone can contribute by shopping local at independent stores!

Vogue tips Victoria Beckham as the most popular brand of 2024

It's still early in the year and they don't have a crystal ball at Vogue either, but the fashion magazine still dares to make a prediction.

It bases this largely on the Lyst Index, which keeps track of how often a brand or item from a brand is googled. Victoria Beckham has been doing remarkably well in this regard lately. This is partly due to the extremely popular Netflix documentary about the Beckhams and the humorous way in which she responded with the popular 'My Dad had a Rolls Royce' t-shirt. More serious is her Frame Buckle belt with the beautifully styled logo, which ended up at number 2 of the most searched for products after the Margaux bag from The Row. In short, Victoria Beckham is not the largest fashion brand in the world, but it is very popular at the moment. And the designers cleverly include that beautiful 'buckle' of the belt in the sunglasses collection that is now in stores. Click here for a store near you!