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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

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2025 Polar plunge at Smithtown Bay Yacht Club. Photo by Luciana Hayers

By Luciana Hayes

Saturday, March 8, Long Island citizens participated in the 2025 Polar Plunge at Smithtown Bay Yacht Club. 

People of all ages plunged into the freezing waters at 2 p.m. to raise money for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation. The foundation raises money for local families in crisis, which includes bill playing, school supplies, adopting families at the holidays, groceries and much more. 

Sponsors for the event include Adelberg Dentist, Saf-T-Swim and title sponsor James E. Hall from CPA Accounting Firm. In addition to the financial sponsors, Saf-T-Swim brought an extra ten plungers and the Hauppauge-Smithtown Swim Team brought an extra 33. 

Christine Fitzgerald, executive director of the Smithtown Children’s Foundation,  stated, “last year we did about $10,000 and we had about 125 plungers and I think we’re over that already today.” 

The Smithtown Children’s Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial and emotional assistance for local families of the Smithtown School District. The foundation originally organized to raise money for a kindergartener  diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in 2008. 

Since then, the foundation had raised approximately $1 million for the Smithtown community, funding medical bills, medical equipment and overdue mortgages. The organization also funded $20,000 in scholarships and continues to be a prominent and valuable resource for social workers. 

The foundation is expanding beyond the Smithtown boundaries with chapters such as Tristian’s Wish, Smiles 4 Sean, Anthony’s Hope, Silent Night and Hart to Hearts.  Saturday  was  the third annual polar plunge for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation.

Fitzgerald said the event was “really a great joint effort.” Many people and businesses donated to the cause, which led to the overall success of the 2025 Polar Plunge. Fitzgerald estimates the profits exceeded those of the previous year, which were around $10,000. 

All were celebrating this joint effort and start looking forward to the fourth annual Polar Plunge.

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The exterior of the Calderone Theater. Photo by Aiden Steng

By Aiden Steng

With changing times comes changing communities, but the Town of Smithtown has invested in restoring and revitalizing its cultured past. However, these initiatives have not seen unanimous praise from outside the town’s government. 

In December 2024, the Smithtown town board voted unanimously to authorize Town Supervisor Republican Ed Wehrheim to purchase St. James’ Calderone Theater for $900,000. The vote additionally gave Wehrheim the authority to grant a 10-year lease to Celebrate St. James, a local non-profit arts group to renovate the theater. 

The interior of the Calderone Theater. Photo by Aiden Steng

Since the sale from Celebrate St. James’ founder and advisor Natalie Weinstein, her organization has been tasked with renovating the theater that is now called the St. James Community Cultural Arts Center. 

“Their intention is to do some major renovations on the theater, and that will be paid for by them,” Wehrheim said. “The lease agreement is completed and signed by the board of directors of Celebrate [St. James], so we think it’s going to be a really nice addition to the business district.”

Wehrheim is a former United States Navy veteran who served in Vietnam and has been Smithtown’s town supervisor since 2018. He has overseen recent projects aimed at revitalizing the community’s local business districts. 

Such initiatives expected to be pushed for in 2025 by the board include the implementation of LED street lighting in the area, improvements to local parks and roads, the building of a playground and pickle ball court at Callahan’s Beach and an implementation of lofts at the former site of Nassau Suffolk Lumber & Supply Company. 

While projects such as the creation of Celebrate Park on the former site of an abandoned bar and the introduction of the new sewer line in St. James have yielded an overhaul in Smithtown’s local community, some are unhappy with the town board’s execution of these plans. 

Local Democrat Nick Cipollo, a member of Smithtown Democrats and trained historian, has notably voiced his concerns with the recent execution of the sewer line project.

Save the St. James Historic Calderone Theater sign.
Photo by Aiden Steng

“The sewer line that was installed on Lake Avenue in Saint James was installed four years ago and is still not hooked up to a treatment plant,” he said. “The people of Smithtown are paying for this through a bond when this could have been done through grants from the government.”

However, Wehrheim said “that was a $3.9 million project [that] was originally going to be a grant from New York State. Unfortunately, that project began right at the onset of COVID, and the state of New York, like many other government entities, went home.”

Cipollo also said that while he believed the Calderone Theater should be preserved, the process in which the deal was brokered was poor.

“I believe that the Town of Smithtown could have done better,” he said. “The first step was the last step, which was to spend $900,000 to purchase the theater … the Town of Smithtown also could have sought out grants from the county, state, or federal government to save this historical building.”

Cipollo also noted that the town board gave themselves “exorbitant” pay rises in 2022, one of which was a raise of 22 percent for Wehrheim. Cipollo said he would have given the town board pay rises in line with the 3% enjoyed by town employees during that time. 

Wehrheim did not agree with this analysis. 

“Those salaries for elected officials were stagnant for a number of years. I think three or four years, maybe,” he said. “I think those increases were put into the budget, and there were public hearings on the budget. So, that is the most transparent way to do that.”

Aidan Steng is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

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Can you find Rabbi Josh Gray among these Hadassah Ladies? Photo by Donna Newman

By Donna Newman

Three dozen people gathered last week for a meeting of the Sea-Port Chapter of Hadassah — The Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Held at the Comsewogue Public Library, and open to all Suffolk Region members, both North Shore Chaverot (friends) Chapter and Smithtown Chapter were represented, as well as Region Board members.

Sea-Port President Edith Lilie invited Rabbi Josh Gray of Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook to be a guest speaker. Rather than lecture, Rabbi Gray chose to facilitate a discussion on the topic, “Living Jewishly in the Modern World.”

One participant complimented the Reform Rabbi on setting an inclusive tone at the outset, making everyone feel at ease. 

“The Rabbi led an engaging and open discussion on what it is to be Jewish, especially since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israeli civilians,” said Heidi Sorkin, a vice president on the Suffolk Board. 

“He opened the discussion with a Hebrew prayer, which expresses gratitude for new or special experiences, and that created an atmosphere where Jews from all levels of observance felt comfortable talking about their traditions, beliefs and concerns,” she said.   

“What makes you a Jew?” Rabbi Gray asked. And he heard many different responses, among them: birth (it’s genetic), religious affiliation, values and actions, culture, family, choice, commitment to tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Ohr L’Goyim (to be a light unto the nations, part of the Jewish Covenant with the Lord).  

With four major branches and other smaller offshoots, being Jewish is a multi-faceted and often diverse endeavor. Jewish people are certainly not a monolith. However, a shared history of persecution and survival connects Jews to each other.

Rabbi Gray shared a disturbing fact. He presented statistics gathered by the Anti-Defamation League that document a massive spike in antisemitic posts on social media — particularly on X — that happened on October 7, 2023, as Hamas’ brutal attack on Israeli civilians progressed — long before Israel responded. What does it mean? he asked.

According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2020, Jews made up 2.4% of the U.S. population, and 0.2% of the world population. It is not surprising that 34% of Americans say they do not know a Jew.

Antisemitism is on the rise in American society and throughout the world. Today’s antisemitism may be fueled by religious anti-Jewish themes, usually unfounded hearsay, not rooted in fact. It can also be racial, deriving from false ideologies; Nazism, white supremacy, etc. And now it is also political — disguised as anti-Zionism: the denial of Jews as a legitimate people; the opinion that Israel has no right to exist.

This being his first opportunity to address the Hadassah community, Rabbi Gray said he did not know what to expect. But by the end of the discussion, he was beaming.

“Being in a room full of Hadassah women,” he said, “who are so willing to share and interact when discussing the particularly challenging subjects of being Jewish in today’s world — and antisemitism — gave me great pride.” 

Carole-Ann Gordon noted the different communities present in the audience.

“The attendees were from different Jewish organizations and communities, and the discussion brought us all together to form a new, larger entity,” she said.

“Rabbi Gray gave us suggestions on how we can feel more connected to our Jewish identity,” said Stacy Berman, another Suffolk Board member. “Becoming more involved with Hadassah is one way we can join with other Jewish women who share our ideals.” 

The session ended with sustained applause, followed by much conversation among the participants.

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A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo
A scene from the 91st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington. Photo by Daniel Palumbo

By Daniel Palumbo

Under a beautiful blue sky, the Town of Huntington celebrated its 91st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday, March 9, as sponsored by The Ancient Order of Hibernians. The Huntington parade is the largest and oldest one on Long Island.

This year’s parade was led by Grand Marshal and New York State Assemblyman Keith P. Brown [R-Northport], who kicked off the festivities on New York Avenue. As the parade made its way down a vibrant display of green, white and gold along Main Street, hundreds of community members packed in closely to show their support for the dozens of local businesses, musicians and students marching. The streets were filled with the sounds of bagpipes, dancing, loud cheers and a vibrant display of Irish pride throughout the duration of the afternoon.

Although the route concluded at The Church of St. Patrick, the festivities kept on for hours afterward, as people continued to celebrate their Irish heritage in good spirits.           

–Photos By Daniel Palumbo

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File photo by Raymond Janis

BESS systems still in dispute 

A meeting was recently held at the Sterling Woods condominium in Port Jefferson Station to discuss the impending proposal for an 8.75-MW lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). According to the New Leaf Energy Senior Director of Business Development, this 8.75-MW BESS “can power 8,500 single-family homes for 4 hours.”

This raises a very interesting question: what is the meaning of the phrase “power a home?” Does this imply that all (100%) of the power used in the home will be provided?

New Leaf Energy presents a plan for a 8.75-megawatt project on Feb. 20, 2025. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Or will the BESS provide only a small percentage, e.g., 20%, of the total power required by each home? If the BESS provides 8.75 MW of power to 8,500 homes for 4 hours, the average power delivered to each home is 1,029 W. For a typical home in Port Jefferson Station, surely a more realistic measure of the required power consumption would be about 5,000 W, rather than 1,029 W. Thus, for this case, the BESS will be providing approximately 20.9% of the required power, and not 100%.

Clearly, the remaining 79.1%, which is 3,971 W, will need to be provided from some other (unspecified) source, if 8,500 homes are to be fully powered with 5,000 W each. Realistically, a single 8.75-MW BESS might be able to provide 5,000 W of power for 4 hours to each of 1,750 (rather than 8,500) homes. Alternatively, a total of 5 BESS units could be configured to fully power 8,500 homes. 

Another subject of discussion at the meeting was the hot topic of thermal runaway in the lithium-ion battery cells. This was said to be “caused when the cells are interfered with or abused and are unable to regulate normally,” While this is correct, it should also be mentioned that “abuse” does not necessarily have to be mechanically induced, but can also originate as a malfunction in the electronic control circuitry, including the charging and cell balancing circuits, and the software that controls them. This can lead to unintentional overcharging of one or more cells, which can lead directly to thermal runaway.

George Altemose

Setauket

Read more about the topic here or visit https://tbrnewsmedia.com/port-jefferson-station-residents-question-battery-storage-proposal-at-sterling-woods-meeting/

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Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

 

 

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uard Elijah Olaniyi in action against Yale on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Olaniyi passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27 after a battle with brain cancer. Photo by Emma Harris/Statesman file

By George Caratzas 

Elijah Olaniyi, a former star for the Stony Brook University men’s basketball team died on Thursday, Feb. 27 after an on-and-off battle with brain cancer. He was 26.

More than 15 months ago, Olaniyi was diagnosed with a tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain. After undergoing three different surgeries to remove it, it was revealed that the tumor had been cancerous. Olaniyi went through radiation therapy and declared himself cancer-free on Feb. 27, 2024. Late in 2024, Olaniyi was once again hospitalized, as the cancer returned.

Olaniyi was recruited out of Newark East Side High School in Newark, N.J., and lost his mother, Ruth Olaniyi, just two days after arriving at Stony Brook in 2017. Across four years with the Seawolves, Olaniyi distinguished himself as one of the best players in program history, averaging 12.2 points per game.

Nonetheless, he excelled on the court, serving as the sixth man for the Seawolves as a freshman. Appearing in every one of Stony Brook’s 32 games, Olaniyi averaged 7.8 points per game, on the way to being named the America East Conference’s Rookie of the Year.

He then took the next step forward as a sophomore, becoming a full-time starter and continuing his dominance. His production jumped, as he averaged 12.3 points per game and was named to the All-America East Third Team in the 2018-2019 season. His junior year proved to be his most fruitful, as he averaged 18.0 points per game. After his stellar 2019-2020 campaign, he was awarded with a selection to the All-America East First Team. 

The next year, Olaniyi took his talents south, transferring to the University of Miami for his senior year. After moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Olaniyi still found some success as he was good for 10.5 points per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA gave Olaniyi an additional year of eligibility, which he used to return to the north shore of Long Island for a graduate season as he pursued a degree in Business Management. 

In his final year of college basketball, Olaniyi dealt with a knee injury which sidelined him in the third game of the Seawolves’ season. Even upon returning to the court, Olaniyi took time off throughout the year to deal with mental health issues, something doctors later attributed to the tumor which they believe began to form during the 2021-2022 season.

After leaving Stony Brook, Olaniyi moved overseas, where he tried launching a professional career with the Basket-Ball Club Sparta Bertrange in Luxembourg. He played well in Europe during the 2022-2023 season, but was forced to medically retire on Dec. 6, 2023. 

In a statement to Stony Brook’s Statesman, Stony Brook Athletics said “We are completely shattered by the news of Elijah’s passing. Not only was Elijah a beloved member of our Seawolves family, he was a son, brother and friend who gave so much of himself to so many. Throughout his battle with cancer, he displayed the competitiveness and courage that he displayed on the basketball court. Although Elijah’s brave fight has peacefully come to an end, his legacy and the memories he left behind will endure forever.”

During their game against Hofstra the night of his passing, current members of the Seawolves wore a heart-shaped patch with the letter “E” in the center in Olaniyi’s honor. In emotional fashion, Stony Brook won that game over its cross-island rival by a final score of 59-56. 

“It’s hard because those of us that know Elijah and were part of his career and life, it’s difficult because he’s a kid, he’s a young man,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame press conference. “We knew it was coming because he had been battling this illness. He hung in there way longer than what was advertised, which was no shock because of the competitor and a warrior he was as a player.”

Olaniyi is survived by his father Festus, and five siblings: Samson, Gabriel, David, Esther and Hannah. 

George Caratzas is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

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Stock photo

Dr. Arthur Leonard Graff, FACS, of Scranton, N.C. passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, March 1. He  was 80 years old.

Arthur Leonard Graff

Dr. Graff was born in Brooklyn on Sept. 21, 1944, to the late Joseph and Doris Andersen Graff. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 33 years, Marnette Travia Graff. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law: Robert Graff and his wife Jennifer of Bloomington, Minn.; Matthew Graff of Newcastle, Maine, and his first wife, Dorothy Dreasen Graff; and Sean Burk of Belhaven, N.C.; as well as grandchildren Rachel Graff, Ella Graff, Kevin Graff and Ryan Graff and his fiancée Katie Cronin. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Graff.

Dr. Graff was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon for thirty years who started a four-man practice on Long Island where he also participated in cleft palate clinics and performed hand microsurgery. He was co-owner of a Port Jefferson restaurant where he learned to love cooking. After moving to North Carolina in 1996, Dr. Graff continued practicing medicine in Belhaven, where he gained coverage approval from the state of North Carolina for Medicaid patients with reconstructive needs. He also worked in the Emergency Department at Pungo District and Washington County hospitals.

Dr. Graff took pleasure in hunting in the Catskills and in his hunt club in North Carolina, deep-sea fishing around the world and attending the sporting events of his children and grandchildren. In retirement he enjoyed Nascar and F-1 racing, and would often be found walking his dogs along the Pungo River. In Hyde County, he was a member of the Scranton Volunteer Fire Department and served on various committees and boards throughout Eastern North Carolina. He traveled to many foreign countries with his wife but always looked forward to returning home to Scranton, a place he came to love. A devoted and supportive grandfather, he also cherished the friendships he made and kept in New York, North Carolina and England.

The family gratefully extends their thanks to the caring staff of Amedisys Hospice who allowed Arthur to spend his last days at his home, especially Kristen Battershell, RN, and Hattie Dixon.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Scranton Fire Department at 5224 Sladesville Credle Rd., Scranton, NC  27875.

Arrangements are by Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter.

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METRO photo

Upon waking up in the morning, the first thing most of us do is open the weather app, reservedly hopeful. It feels as if winter should be over as we enter March, but as the weather for the day appears on our screens or televisions, we are greeted with a little cloud icon. Again. 

Despite lengthening daylight hours and sporadic days of sunshine, Long Island enters March under cold and cloudy conditions. The low temperatures keep many inside clutching a hot beverage. In the summer, there would still be plenty of daylight hours to still take advantage of: a comparison that we can’t help but indulge in.

There are some days where our only outdoor time involves walking from the car to the front door; this lack of exposure to the sun as well the inability to pursue hobbies such as hiking, playing sports, swimming or gardening can cause seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD is characterized by oversleeping, overeating and social withdrawal in addition to decreased energy, loss of pleasure in hobbies and difficulty concentrating or making decisions, to name a few. 

While many don’t experience the impacts of the season drastically enough to have a SAD diagnosis, the lack of time outdoors and under the sun undoubtedly has an effect on our behavior and outlook. 

On a chemical level, researchers theorize that vitamin D, which we produce when we are exposed to sun, plays a role in the production of serotonin, otherwise known as the “happy chemical.” According to the National Institute of Mental Heath, the lower levels of vitamin D are common in people who suffer from SAD. 

Furthermore, fewer daylight hours can cause the body to begin producing melatonin earlier, leading to oversleeping. 

The uncomfortable weather understandably keeps us indoors, away from our hobbies, leaving us feeling unfulfilled. The days seem to pass faster without activities to break up the monotony of being indoors. 

Luckily, we can take vitamin D supplements to compensate for our lack of sunlight exposure. While this can abate the chemical impacts, it is important to pay attention to how the season changes our lifestyle choices and to try to mitigate that or supplement it with something else. 

Perhaps, instead of gardening outside, we decide to devote ourselves to a collection of houseplants. We can invest in some hand-warmers and warm weather clothing  to continue hiking and walking without becoming uncomfortably cold. Or, we can take up a new engaging hobby like painting, knitting, or rock-climbing. Moving our body in some capacity is also important to make sure we stay in shape and boost our endorphins, which can decrease symptoms of depression, stabilize our mood, and help us manage stress. 

As we enter the home-stretch of cold-weather, we should check in with our personal and physical needs.

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We dive into the latest updates from Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina as he shares new initiatives to enhance public safety. From tackling traffic accidents to addressing the opioid crisis, Catalina outlines his vision for a safer Suffolk.

Next, we discuss this month’s Three Village Civic Association meeting, where Town of Brookhaven Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia addressed concerns about this year’s tax bills.

Finally, we turn our focus to the ongoing challenges facing the Port Jefferson School District after the Child Victims Act led to a significant financial burden. We’ll hear from Superintendent Jessica Schmettan as she explains the impact of the $16.5 million settlement and the district’s efforts to secure legislative relief.

Listen to this episode of the Pressroom Afterhour on Spotify.

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Optical Outfitters is now located at 158 East Main Street in Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy of Danielle Paulus
Optical Outfitters is now located at 158 East Main Street in Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy of Danielle Paulus

When Village Eye Care/Optical Outfitters on Barnum Avenue in Port Jefferson closed its doors for good last July after Dr. Alfred Cossari announced his retirement, it opened up an exciting new chapter for his daughter, Danielle Cossari Paulus, who had worked alongside her father as co-founder for three decades.

The businesswoman recently re-opened an Optical Outfitters boutique in the Village at 158 East Main Street, Suite 2, in the former Reruns clothing store. The front entrance is on Arden Place across from the Port Jefferson Free Library.

The new shop still offers affordable quality prescription eyewear for children and adults with an added focus on specialty collections only found in boutique optical shops like those in New York City along with quality sunglass brands such as Maui Jim polarized sunglasses, Ray Ban, and Oliver Peoples.

“Customers are looking for these products for their eyewear more now and are tired of seeing what they can get online or in every other optical shop,” said Paulus.

Known locally for her fashion and design sense, she has also added a gift section in the store offering scarves, hats, handbags, jewelry, candles and kitchenware. Some products are created by local artisans or made by women supported by small companies that want to help women all over the world who suffer from terrible circumstances. 

Local artists are also welcome to have their artisan products displayed there.

“People are missing more and more the one-to-one, mom and pop, independent care as group practice clinical offices have wiped them out so quickly,” said Paulus. “I’m calling it no more Big Business Baloney, which I mentioned in a casual conversation with friends but it really hit a nerve with a large group of people and has continued to ever since whenever brought up.”  

Paulus is committed to remaining an independent with one-to-one appointments with the owner/optician to give uniquely customized service to provide well-crafted individualized eyeglasses for good vision, safety and style. 

Her mission is simple — to continue doing what her patients have appreciated now as a concierge optical outfitter that does not plan on ever having to shift her focus on the numbers or seeing x number of people a day.

“Personalized quality service is becoming extinct and that’s what makes Optical Outfitters and its relationships with its patients so special,” said Paulus.

“When my father asked me 30 years ago to join him to open an optical shop I had no idea it would be the best decision I’ve ever made — to live near family/community where my kids go to the school I went to and learning how to provide care from a father with the highest values with all heart is really something,” she added.  

“Quality craftsmanship, like opticianry, does not have to die in our little corner of the world and helping people while doing it should be the way.” 

Join Paulus for her grand re-opening event on Saturday, March 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. to view the spring collection or drop in anytime to say hello. 

Upcoming events include Mother’s and Father’s Day Wishlist gatherings with a jewelry making demonstration and sunglass fittings to be announced on the shop’s website, opticaloutfitters.com. Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and extended concierge appointment hours are available by calling 631-928-6401.

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