Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019
Locally Owned
A Century of
2020
20/20 Vision
Photos by Veronica Zabala
L
ocally owned Family Vision Care Center celebrated its 100th anniversary celebrating its century of eye care with friends, family and supporters in the local community.
“This is a great community to be a small business,” said owner Susan Halstead while speaking at the ceremony. Halstead thanked the Adirondack Trust for their support, and Wally Allerdice. “He went to bat for me, and made my dream possible.” Attendee Todd Shimkus, President of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Halstead on the accomplishment along with a representative from Senator Daphne Jordan’s office, who presented Halstead with a Certificate of Recognition from the Senator. The practice was first owned by Cline Zachariah Miamoto in 1920, and was located on Broadway where deJohnge Original Jewelry currently sits. Cline’s stepfather, Charles Haskins, was a jeweler, and it was common at the time for jewelers to make glasses frames out of silver and gold for eye doctors. At the time of World War II, Cline was afraid that people would not see an Asian doctor, and proceeded to change his name to Dr. Cline Z. Cline. The next owner, Dr. William Ling, purchased the practice in 1955, and moved its location to the Arcade Building on Broadway. After a major fire, during which he was able to rescue equipment and his accounts receivable against the advice of firefighters, Dr. Ling moved the practice to a former surgeon’s office on George Street. Three years later, the practice moved to its current location on the corner of Lake Ave. and East Ave. At this location, Dr. Ling had an office built onto the home.
Susan Halstead, owner of Family Vision and Todd Shimkus, President of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
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