Franklin Vision Care Focuses on Frame Features and Family Roots

January 24, 2025

Annedrea Morreale, OD, always envisioned herself owning a private practice. After graduating from Southern College of Optometry in 2019 and having her daughter Evelyn in 2021, Dr. Morreale was ready to have more schedule flexibility in a space that was her own.

STARTING WITH SUPPORT

Dr. Morreale also thanks her loyal office team.

Dr. Morreale received critical advice from Lisa Wade, OD, a business advisor at Southern College of Optometry (SCO). “Dr. Wade was one of the best assets at SCO,” she says. “She helped me understand the business side of optometry.” Dr. Wade encouraged her to seek additional support, leading Dr. Morreale to work with iCare Advisors. “They didn’t hold back the secret sauce,” she says. “They showed me the steps to get to my goal and still are valuable today in the growth of my business.”

With the exponential growth of her business and entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. Morreale now co-owns another venture, OD Team, which focuses on optometric billing services. “This is a passion project for me,” Dr. Morreale says. “I want to give back to other cold-start optometry practices by sharing my knowledge and helping them grow and succeed.”

DESIGNING THE SPACE

Drywall and gravel floors became Franklin Vision Care.

Franklin Vision Care opened in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, in November 2022. The 1,600-square-foot space began as a blank slate: concrete walls and gravel floors in an open space below luxury apartments. The color palette—white, teal and black with gold accents—creates a clean, timeless look while tall windows flood the office (and 15-foot ceilings) with natural light.

With the help of her designer at Karina K Studio and the contracting team at M&S Contracting, Dr. Morreale transformed the space into a modern office featuring luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring, custom-built frame boards and acoustic ceiling tiles in the exam lanes to dampen noise. The reception area features a custom-built front desk with wood paneling and a quartz countertop that makes a striking first impression.

Originally, plans included a soffit over the reception area, but Dr. Morreale pivoted during construction. “It totally closed off the space and made it feel cramped,” she says. “That’s when I realized that I may stray from our plans, and that’s okay. I was involved with every aspect of the design—it was imperative to have boots on the ground.”

The office includes two exam lanes, one fully equipped and the other serving as a dry eye spa. Custom cabinetry in the exam rooms proved to be more cost-effective than premade options, allowing Dr. Morreale to design storage solutions tailored to her needs.

THE KEY TO TIDINESS

Patients won’t find clutter at Franklin Vision Care. “I’m practicing the Marie Kondo lifestyle—if it doesn’t bring joy, I get rid of it,” she says.

She also applies this mindset to contact lens trials, frames and equipment manuals. “We don’t have to spend thousands on storing things that may sit for months. I only keep my favorites and what my patients need,” she says. Digital records replace handwritten notation, and sticky notes have been officially banned from the office.

A FOCUS ON FRAMES

Dr. Morreale’s optical area emphasizes an array of luxury frame lanes, with every detail designed to showcase them as the focal point. Custom-built frame boards sit flush with the walls, giving the illusion of frames displayed on a canvas. “We didn’t want anything to sit on pegs or have patients notice when a pair were missing,” she says. The optical can hold up to 450 frames, including high-end brands like Tom Ford, Fendi, Saint Laurent, Oliver Peoples and Maui Jim.

An industrial-inspired display in the front window provides a dedicated space for sunglasses, with some frames facing outward to catch the eye of passersby. “Frames are the focal point in our office,” Dr. Morreale says. “We wanted the design to reflect that.”

AN ODE TO THE MATRIARCH

Artist Jerika Broussard poses with her painting.

The feature patients often notice first, however, is a massive 10 x 10 foot custom portrait of Dr. Morreale’s grandmother, Sandra Amis, painted by Dr. Morreale’s friend and artist Jerika Broussard. Set against a backdrop of eye chart letters, the painting depicts her grandmother’s high school portrait.

“Family is my biggest inspiration,” Dr. Morreale says. “My grandmother was a schoolteacher married to my farmer grandfather. She decided to get her master’s degree in education when my mother was a child. She had to live on campus and be away from her family to do it. I don’t know how they juggled it all.”

“Both sides of my family have inspiring backgrounds that shaped my work ethic, Christian faith and drive to succeed,” she says. Just feet away in the optical, her grandmother’s 1950s American Optical eyeglasses are displayed in a framed case.

Dr. Morreale extends her thanks to her family, office team, church and local community for their unwavering support of Franklin Vision Care. “Franklin is where my family calls home,” she says. “I strive to treat every patient as if they a family member. I truly care about the health and visual needs of my patients and community.”