Local shop celebrates four years and earns national recognition for independent style and community connection

ATASCADERO — Beloved local optical boutique Specs by Kyla not only celebrated its four-year anniversary in July, but has also been named one of America’s Finest Optical Retailers for 2025 by INVISION, a national magazine serving eyecare professionals. The recognition honors independent eyewear shops for excellence in design, community involvement, and dedication to the optical craft.

Owner Kyla Skinner learned about the award the day before the Atown Getdown Block Party and was overwhelmed by the news.

“The magazine called me the afternoon before the Atown Getdown Block Party,” said Skinner. “I was stunned and just overwhelmed. I slept about two hours that night, I just couldn’t relax my brain. My employee sent me home to take a nap the next day!”

Now in its 12th year, the America’s Finest contest celebrates standout independent optical shops across the U.S. and Canada. A panel of industry experts scores entries on everything from interior and exterior design to individuality, brand curation, and online presence.

INVISION’s Editor-in-Chief Deirdre Carroll praised Skinner’s blend of style and service: “As one of our industry judges said, Kyla is a ‘champion of independence’ … The charm and hospitality of her business, coupled with her personal touch, complements her masterfully curated collection of independent brands and delivers that rare blend of authenticity, optical expertise, and boutique elegance.”

For Skinner, the recognition is both personal and professional.

“With all the changes in the world, I kept worrying about whether my business would survive,” Skinner told Atascadero News. “It feels like this acknowledgment is a foundation for permanence, to realize if I keep doing my best, that is enough.”

She also sees the award as a win for the entire community: “To have Atascadero recognized nationally makes me so proud of our town. So many people have shown up for me and for cool eyewear.”

Specs by Kyla is known for its focus on independent eyewear brands — a conscious choice Skinner made early on.

“Independent eyewear lines are smaller companies, better quality, not mass-produced,” she said. “In many cases, I’ve met the owners and built a personal connection with them. They have a passion for what they do and care about how the product fits and holds up for you, the client. They are small businesses just like me, and put their heart into their lines and frames. You are paying for quality, and not brand names, with a company that will back that up.”

Since opening, the shop has evolved in both inventory and style.

“I look back at old photos and think how empty the shelves were. I think I was worried about how funky styles would be received in our small town, so I went a bit more conservative and classic. But the bold styles I brought in flew out the door, and I loved to see it,” said Skinner. “We’ve embraced the bold, the unique, and the fun, and it is a blast to help people express their individuality through their eyewear.”

Over the past four years, she’s also added two employees, crediting them with helping the business grow and evolve.

“I really couldn’t do it without them,” she said. “They help me see things with a different light and make me more efficient every day.”

Looking back, one of the most pivotal moments for Skinner was being named the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce “Woman of Influence” in 2023.

“I was shocked to see that I could be perceived to make a difference in the community, but what an honor and encouragement that was, to do my best every day to show up in my shop and our community,” Skinner shared.

Her journey hasn’t been without its challenges — from floods to tariffs and everyday business hurdles — but Skinner has learned to take each moment as it comes.

“When a challenge happens, I know I can figure it out, and that I will be stronger and smarter on the other side … I didn’t expect to succeed. I know that sounds awful, but wrapping my head around the fact that this is my business and my life is a lovely reality,” she said.

As for what’s next? Skinner hopes for steady growth and a chance to find more work-life balance.

“I hope for slow and steady growth. Maintaining what we have built, with consistency,” said Skinner. “I’d like to carve out more time for myself, to work on things behind the scenes, perhaps from home one day a week and let my employees continue to build their own relationships with our clients and keep the company culture rich and welcoming and caring.”

Skinner will be featured in a multi-page spread in the July/August issue of INVISION and has the opportunity to receive her trophy on stage at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas this September.

Until then, she’ll be right here in Atascadero — helping customers find frames as bold and unique as they are.

Feature Image: Kyla Skinner, owner of Specs by Kyla in Atascadero, is shown on a digital cover for INVISION, the magazine serving eycare professionals. Specs by Kyla, which offers eyeglass frames from several independent brands, was named by the magazine as one of America’s Finest Optical Retailers for 2025. Contributed photo