In March 2023, Charlene Morfoot, OD, opened Morfoot Family Eye Care in Huntley, Illinois. After earning her degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2007 and completing a residency in ocular disease, she set a goal for private practice. While initially working in a corporate-affiliated location to support her growing family, she found the right moment to establish her own practice when her children got older.
Her husband, Joseph Morfoot, OD, who opened his own practice in 2012, now works at the family office one day a week, providing contact lens fittings, eye disease consultations and LASIK counseling. Despite initial hesitation about opening a practice in her hometown—where many already knew her husband as “Dr. Morfoot”—the family found an ideal location for her practice nearby. “Now, it’s my turn,” she says.
THE RIGHT SPACE
Dr. Charlene Morfoot discovered the current location by chance, after earlier lease negotiations in a nearby town fell apart. She spotted a “for lease” sign while driving through Huntley. “It hadn’t even hit Realtor or Zillow yet, so we had a real chance at getting it,” she says. The high visibility of the space and its location along a main road in the rapidly growing town made it a perfect fit. The space, a 1,800-square-foot center unit in a strip mall, was secured in September 2022 with the help of iCare Advisors, who also helped review the lease.
“The landlord was ready to rent it out. He sent the keys for us to see the space and told us only to take it if we had a good feeling,” Dr. Morfoot says.
A COMPLETE REDESIGN
Originally a real estate office, then a church and finally an instrument store, the space was outdated with dark woodwork from the 1990s. The Morfoots completely tore down and rebuilt the interior with help from a retired contractor who was a family friend. “We were at dinner together after my daughter’s softball game, and I told him I was opening a practice. Even though the contractor was retired, he wanted to help us out,” Dr. Morfoot says.
The contractor and his employee handled the demolition, including knocking down walls at the front for the optical area and in the back to build new rooms. They also ran new plumbing and electrical to the exam rooms and contact lens room. The office now features space for two exam lanes. One currently is fully equipped, and the other serves as a lab with a lens edger and a dispensing room.
MODERN DESIGN WITH RUSTIC TOUCHES
Dr. Morfoot’s vision for the office blended modern, industrial and rustic design elements. Custom-made frame boards with wood and industrial piping, cabinets from IKEA with matte black features and quartz countertops help achieve this look. The contractor also built custom cabinetry for storage and installed new flooring. “They really brought my vision to life,” she says.
The flooring is glue-down luxury vinyl plank (LVP), chosen to prevent creaking and separation. The top of the front desk is a quartz remnant she got for a good price, and the rest is laminate designed to look like stone. “The front of the desk is actually flooring used to create texture,” Dr. Morfoot notes.
She sourced much of the furniture, including mirrors and desks, from Wayfair and IKEA. All of the light fixtures in the optical came from Pottery Barn. She found her illuminated wall logo on Etsy, and the contractors used shiplap pieces behind the front desk selected for their aesthetic fit. Finding the right shiplap for the 16-foot wall was challenging, as the first batch arrived warped and had to be returned.
“The contractor team also stained the wood for the frame boards in the optical,” Dr. Morfoot adds. These boards now hold about 400 frames.
CLOSE TO HOME
With the practice just two miles from home and her husband’s office only 20 minutes away, the location is ideal for balancing work and family life. Dr. Morfoot’s sister helps at the practice part-time, while a neighboring business owner’s wife assists with front desk duties and pretesting. She was also lucky to find an experienced optician who lived just minutes from the office to complete her team.
Flexibility is a significant benefit of owning the practice, Dr. Morfoot says. With two daughters on travel softball teams, having control over her schedule allows her to attend their games. “Being my own boss means I can be there for my kids when they need me,” she says.
A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
The office offers modern equipment, including Topcon technology, an autophoropter and a topographer. There’s a beverage station up front with a Keurig and water, which was easier than installing water fountains. Dr. Morfoot offers a range of services, including scleral lens fittings, dry eye treatments, surgical co-management and glaucoma management. The patient base has grown quickly, partly thanks to the recognizable Morfoot name in the community. “People drive by and recognize our name, and they just stop in,” she says. Some of her patients from her previous corporate location have also followed her to the new practice.
With plans to expand services and eventually outfit the second exam lane, Dr. Morfoot’s vision for her practice is coming to life—a family-centered, patient-focused space with roots deeply embedded in the community.
Find Dr. Morfoot and Morfoot Family Eye Care online:
Facebook @Morfoot Family Eye Care
Instagram @morfootfamilyeyecare
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