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Long-time optician opening third shop in Potsdam

Posted 6/16/12

By CRAIG FREILICH POTSDAM – A Massena native who has opened two optical shops in the area has returned and is opening a third, this time on Maple Street in Potsdam. Fred Cliff plans on a late-June …

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Long-time optician opening third shop in Potsdam

Posted

By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM – A Massena native who has opened two optical shops in the area has returned and is opening a third, this time on Maple Street in Potsdam.

Fred Cliff plans on a late-June opening for St. Lawrence Optical at 11½ Maple St., in the old Copy Shop, next to Frame of Mind.

After Cliff graduated from Massena High School, he trained as an optician at Mater Dei in Ogdensburg.

He opened Potsdam Optical, in Market Square Mall, in 1986, and sold it in 1998.

Cliff opened Canton Optical, on Riverside Drive, in 1990, and sold it in 1992.

In the meantime, he has been in Ithaca and Syracuse, and back in Potsdam, working at optical outlet chain stores.

At St. Lawrence Optical, Cliff will offer eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, and accessories.

“I enjoyed working for myself,” Cliff said, so he decided to start another shop. He said he likes Potsdam and enjoys being in a downtown location.

Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The shop is undergoing extensive renovation, and Cliff said he hopes to have it all done by the end of the month.

He plans on having one part-time employee, at first.

The store telephone number is 274-9181.