The Basics
Welcome to The Core Lab. We are an independent optical lab located in New Hampshire's Upper Valley.
Originally founded in 2018 as a lens design software company, we have evolved to become the fastest growing optical lab in New England. We serve an approximately four state region with a first-of-its-kind lab & courier service, along with traditional mail service nationwide.
Mission
Our mission is to empower family-owned opticals to be more capable, profitable, and competitive in the modern marketplace.
This relentless drive towards being your advocate and partner for growth is the "core focus" that lends to our name. We are about delivering a service that is unmatched in the industry with a simple premise: Provide capabilities to help your sales grow, while also lowering your costs.
Built and operated by fellow ECPs, we are your solution for success with today's eyewear customer. In an industry held stagnant with visions of an optical market that no longer exists, we set out to provide a modern alternative.
Together, we will build a better future for neighborhood opticals and their customers.
Let's get started.
Our Story
Our lab is what happened when two roommates from engineering school tried to help an old friend. Going onto different paths to become an optometrist and a materials engineer, a common passion would lead them to the project of building a better optical lab.
Because really, The Core Lab started because of Marsha.
One of our most cherished mentors, she had been an optician since the 1980's. Years after teaching us so much of what we know, she struck out on her own by opening a small optical shop in 2011.
Then the pandemic hit in 2020.
With her shop shuttered and her customers staying home, she saw her dream starting to slip away. She reached out to her old students for help in building her online presence and marketing ideas. From behind her N95 mask she vented a frustration felt by opticians everywhere.
"I still order glasses pretty much the same way I did 40 years ago. They still take the same amount of time to get back. They're still so expensive that I spend more just buying lenses than I do on labor. Name me another industry that has changed so little in four decades." She huffed.
"Meanwhile my customers can buy glasses on their phone and get them delivered right to their house. It's like we are standing still, totally overmatched."
And with that, The Core Lab was born.
In 2024, Marsha opened her third location.
The Core Values
Guiding us at all times are our 3 stated company values.
1. Build a better future for local opticals everywhere.
We believe it matters if we allow for a future where only corporations make or sell eyeglasses. Everything we do is about helping the small, stand tall.
2. Execution >> Growth
We will never dilute our service in order to grow. If we deliver a truly singular lab experience to our customers, word of mouth alone will lead to sustainable growth.
3. Results >> Marketing
We deliberately work to avoid the buzzwords and gimmicks. If it doesn't make your optical more competitive or more profitable, it is only noise. Simple, tangible improvements are all we do.