Santosh Andhale
Over one-third of the city's population use spectacles. And even this section is divided into three parts– those who wear spectacles prescribed for their eyes, those who have goggles to protect themselves from the sun and the fashionable lot. It's the last group that generates most business what with their tastes and even fashions in general changing every two months. No wonder then that the Chinese are here too with their cheap frames.
But whatever the class, if you want to cover your eyes, Kalbadevi Road is the place to go. No less than 200 shops are lined up here just waiting to 'frame' you up correctly. And would you believe it – TV trends are followed here too. You might've not realised it but a lot of 'Jassi-types' are worn by the young generation. All originally bought on this road. In fact, good ol' plain-Jane Jassi made the simple, black, square frames exactly what she wasn't – hot!
Kalbadevi Road has it all. From Ray-bans to, as we already pointed out, cheap Chinese-made frames. Most of the more famous stores have shiny glass fronts and swanky, brightly lit interiors. But some stores have remained unchanged right from the time they were established. Be warned – those in the know of things point out that around 80 per cent of all 'maal' in this lane is duplicated. So choose a genuine outlet if you are hell-bent on purchasing branded stuff. For others, there are myriad choices with Italian ranges available in addition to the Chinese ones.
Gone are the days when only glass was used for lenses. When the Chinese entered this market, they introduced the revolutionary CR-39 plastic lenses. Now, thankfully, these are made in the city itself; at a Parel factory to be more exact with more manufactured at Vadodara and Ahmedabad. The frames come from the Western suburbs like Bhayander, Vasai and Nalasopara. Bhayander even has a major plastic frames factory. Once they reach the Kalbadevi market, a frame costs anywhere from Rs 50 to Rs 15,000. The CR-39 lenses cost much lesser.
Thanks to the Chinese, the public has become wary of going in for branded products. In fact, is sources are to be believed, customers have now adopted a use-and-throw approach. All in all, a retailer on this road generates a turnover of around Rs 10 lakh while the wholesalers reach Rs 20-25 lakhs.
But it's not all about money. Some shops set aside an amount for frames donated to partially blind children. One such store, is the Kulkarni Brothers one which has been in existence for six decades now. Prakash Kulkarni is the owner of just one in a chain of 60 spread across the city and state. "Nowadays, we hear it all. Customers prefer light-weight, fancy, latest, unique, cheapest and even rimless frames. They are not too bothered about quality. We advise each customer not to go in for rimless as these are delicate and generate a lot of complaints qualitywise. the Chinese factor has helped people to change their frames every two or three months," he said.
• This weekly column would wind through the city's crowded markets, offering a glimpse into business as it is conducted only here
something interesting about Jassi's purane Chushme😆
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
