Grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration planned for Sept. 24

ATASCADERO — Downtown Atascadero has a new optical shop, Specs by Kyla, located at 5808 Traffic Way in the El Paseo Plaza. A grand opening celebration with ribbon-cutting will be held on Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m.

Specs owner Kyla Skinner saw a need in North County for unique eyewear with attention to customer service. So Kyla started the renovation of the El Paseo space in May of this year. She and her husband, a contractor, did most of the work themselves on the weekends and evenings. They refinished the concrete floors, painted, and added a custom light fixture to complement the abundant natural light already present in the space. The high ceilings and industrial concrete floors showcase the modern eyewear selection.

Specs by Kyla only carry independent eyewear lines with a focus on quality and unique styles you won’t see everywhere. Kyla’s goal is not only to help you see better but to accentuate your features and have your eyewear be a stylish accessory.

Personalized attention to detail will ensure the frame fits comfortably and allows you to see well. In addition, Kyla offers a wide array of independent eyeglass frames and sunglasses. Partnering with HOYA Lab, Kyla uses digitally surfaced lenses that will allow you to see naturally and enjoy a wide field of vision.

Raised in Templeton, Kyla began working in the optical field immediately after graduating High School. After studying and learning on the job for a couple of years, she earned her optician certification through the American Board of Opticianry in 1999.

Kyla then moved to North Carolina around 2007 and lived there for three years; during that time, she helped an optometrist open a new practice and learned what it takes to start a business. Then, in 2010, her family decided to move back to California as they missed the Central Coast and their family here.

Upon returning, Kyla worked at an optometrist’s office in San Luis Obispo for more than ten years. Then, she began to entertain the idea of opening her own business in North County. That idea grew into a real possibility after she received the tragic news that her birth mother had passed away in December of 2019 and that her birth family had left her an inheritance.

Kyla chose to open the business on Jul. 5, which is also her birthday, to honor her birth mother and the opportunity she was given.

“The day I was born was the one day that I know we had together,” Kyla shared. The grand opening of Specs by Kyla will be combined with Atascadero’s Art, Wine & Brew event on Sept. 24, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

Specs by Kyla’s ribbon cutting will be at 5:30 p.m., and the event will run until 8 p.m. Personalized eyewear styling will be available and following COVID precautions. Wine and appetizers will be provided in the courtyard by Forager Central Coast Distillery. Tickets are available at atascaderochamber.org.