by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
For 27 years, United Optical Outlet did quite well at its Church Street location. Then came the Parks at the Cathedral residential housing project.
“We weren’t happy when we found out,” said Joe Rogero Jr. “That location was good for us. When we started, we were wholesale only so the neighborhood didn’t matter. But 13 years ago we hired an optician and went into retail. That’s about the same time the area picked up. The Episcopal Church secured the area, tore everything out and the neighborhood improved. Within five years, retail was doing really well. We had invested a lot of time and advertising into that location.”
Established in 1962 by now-retired Joe Rogero Sr., the shop moved recently to Broad Street in LaVilla.
Initially displeased with being ousted from his old location to make way for the new townhomes, Rogero negotiated for two years to reach an equitable agreement.
“We were invited to meet with Paul Krutko [former executive director of the Downtown Development Authority] and a representative from Atkinson and Knight, the realtor,” said Rogero, who has been part of the family business since 1966. “They found a building that could be renovated, but the money wasn’t enough.”
With the help of Al Battle at the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, a building swap was arranged. Rogero gained twice the square footage of the old store but the block is far from picturesque. A City grant and a loan from the Northwest Trust Fund is helping with improvements. Prior to United Optical moving in, the two-story building housed six different retail spaces. While the building has undergone extensive remodeling, finishing the showroom and production-related improvements still need to be completed.
“We’re satisfied with the building but not the surroundings,” said Rogero. “It [the building] was vacant for 15 years, except for a barber shop in a portion of the building. Eighty percent of the building was run down for a long time.”
Still, Rogero is positive about the end result and what it will do for the City’s core.
“I think it’s time for downtown,” he said. “I’m particularly excited about the library. Five years from now I think we’ll find it was a good investment.”
Maintaining a viable business in the center of the Parks construction proved difficult for Rogero. Church Street, the one-way street providing the most convenient access to his store, was blocked for almost two years.
“We didn’t think the street should have been closed off for so long,” said Rogero.
“It was a real hardship for us. At the same time, if there was an agency in the City that could help, they were very receptive. The City rerouted one of the one-way streets so customers could come in and out. Still, it was a handicap for delivery and supply vehicles. The biggest problem was parking.”
The search for a similar property was ongoing during the two-year process. Finally, when a compromise was reached, United Optical packed the moving vans for LaVilla.
“LaVilla has improved,” said Rogero, who plans to lease part of the new building to other tenants. “And with the courthouse complex coming in, I don’t think security will be an issue in the long run. With everything revitalized, people will realize it’s secure downtown.”
One of the busiest of its five stores citywide, the downtown United Optical Outlet processes in excess of 100 jobs daily for clients from as far away as Georgia. A new optometrist will be hired soon.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Rogero doesn’t feel slighted.
“I do think the government needs to be involved [in helping small business displaced by downtown revitalization],” he said. “It won’t occur for small businesses because they lack the resources. I remember back in 1967 when nobody cared about downtown and it was obvious by the way it looked. In the last five years, there’s been a tremendous change. With the Jaguars, there’s been a turnaround in the way downtown looks. We’re turning around years of neglect.”
A grand opening for the new facility will be scheduled in the near future.