History

The Historical Society of Greater Lansing has from time to time recognized long established businesses in the mid-Michigan area. This year Wallace Opticians celebrates 90 years in business, all in Lansing. Wallace Opticians was started in 1935 by Jack E. Wallce Sr. Wallace had started in the optical business in 1922 working in the Detroit optical laboratory of the Johnston Optical Company in Detroit. Johnston Optical was recognized as one of the outstanding optical companies in the Midwest. It was there that Jack Wallace learned the trade. Around 1929 Wallace was assigned to manage Johnston’s office in Lansing so he moved to Lansing.

Six years later he was ready to go out on his own and in 1935 established the Wallace Optical Company. The new company set up offices in the old United Building, on the northeast corner of South Washington and West Lenawee. (That building was torn down in 1980.) The Lansing State Journal announced the opening of Wallace Optical in January of 1936 and showed what it called the “attractive and spacious” fitting room for the new company on the second floor of the United Building. Jack Wallace introduced a new vertically integrated operation to provide wholesale manufacturing, fitting and sale of optical products in a single operation.

Previously, an optical patient would have to obtain a prescription for corrective lenses following an eye examination by a Doctor of Optometry, take the script to a jewelry store, which would in turn send the script to a laboratory where the lenses would be manufactured. The patient then would have to return to the jewelry store to be fitted for the lenses. Wallace combined all these functions into one location including the eye exams, the manufacture of lenses, and the fitting and sale of glasses. This made it much easier for optical patients to be fitted for glasses.

With eye exams on site, Wallace employed its own in-house registered optometrists, many who stayed and made a career with Wallace Optical. In addition to optometrists, Wallace Optical employed other types of workers including shop workers in the laboratory. Over the next many decades, Wallace would advertise in the Want Ads of the State Journal for multiple and sundry other employment positions. Ads appeared for typists, billing clerks, a bookkeeper, salesmen, receptionists, “shop workers,” “errand boys” or “errand girls.” When Wallace wanted an errand boy or errand girl, they also expected the same to have a bicycle or a motor bike.

Wallace Optical stayed abreast of improved technology and products. Indeed, Wallace was one of the first optical companies to harden glass lenses which rendered them safer for the wearer. Jack Sr. figured out how long to leave the lenses in the kiln to harden them up during the manufacturing without breaking from the heat.

Wallace’s competitors in the early years were all in downtown Lansing. There was Beck Jewelry & Optical Co., National Optical Stores, and Daniel Optical Studios, all three on South Washington, as well as Jack Wallace’s old employer, Johnston Optical. In addition there was King Optical Company on West Ottawa.

In the 1960’s Wallace began offering patients contact lenses. Initially, these were hard lenses made from a combination of plastic and glass. They were not very comfortable to wear. New technology has resulted in soft contacts which are more comfortable for the wearer.

In 1956, Wallace introduced special bridal eyeglasses to be worn by the bride at her wedding. They were white with sculpted gold leaf details adorned with tiny pearls. The glasses would be loaned to the bride who would return them after the honeymoon.

In the late 50’s Wallace started offering patients the service of their patient records permanently. The records were kept on Wallace’s computer.

Over the years, Wallace operated at eight different locations starting at the United Building. Other locations included the City Bank Building, the Bank of Lansing, the State Theater building in East Lansing, 3040 Vine Street in Lansing (across from the old Sears location), 1015 West Saginaw, 1015 W. Grand River in Okemos. At one point Wallace operated out of three locations with optometrists at each location. Currently, Wallace has offices at 3040 Vine Street (at Clippert near Sears old location) and at 1015 West Saginaw, both in Lansing.

In the early days, all lenses were made of glass and were produced in the Wallace optical laboratory on site made up of machines to cut the lenses, edge them, polish them, and place them in the frames. A generator machine cut the correct curves to match the prescriptions, another edged the glass, and other machine polished them. As the technology developed, so did the equipment.

When Wallace first opened, the State Journal noted that Wallace employed six employees, but a future increase was expected. In the early years the work force reached 9. All the mathematical calculations needed to design and manufacture the lenses was done manually on paper. Today computers perform the function much faster and more accurately. With that new technology the manufacturing and fitting process has improved efficiency and only 8 employees are on payroll now for two locations.

In the early years Wallace would manufacture around 5,000 pairs of glasses each year. That number increased exponentially as customer demand increased, especially after Wallace became a supplier of safety glasses for General Motors workers. All glasses were made at the Wallace laboratory.

One of the obvious features of Wallace Optical over its history has been its family composition. Jack Wallce Sr. learned his trade while working for Johnston Optical in Detroit. Following World War II Wallace’s son, Jack Jr. joined the company. Jack Jr. had attended college studying ophthalmic optics. He spent two years in the Army in a medical position in the optical division. Jack Jr. also served an apprenticeship with his father who was an honorary master of ophthalmic optics from the American Board of Opticianry. Jack Jr. continued to run the company after Jack Sr. died in 1977.

Jack Wallace III has continued the family business. Jack III started his optical career at age 19 working in the laboratory. He says he enjoyed being a part of the manufacturing process of the eyeglasses while in the lab. After 15 years there, he continued his career as an optician, where he enjoyed working with the patients ordering and fitting their eyewear. Another son, Robert, also joined the company but has since retired. Jack III is now the owner of the company and the last Jack E. Wallace left in the business. He is committed to being the guardian of the traditions of this 90-year-old family-owned business.