Anna McCann, OD, always knew that her dream was to open her own practice. After moving from her hometown of Chicago to be around the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, she graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in 2023. She spent the next two years working at two private practices while preparing to make her dream a reality.
THE RIGHT SPACE
Dr. McCann started searching for the future home of Grapevine Vision in 2024. While she had moved to the area to experience the natural charm the area offers, she found that some options had odd drawbacks, such as a lack of windows, poor natural lighting or in a secluded area. She found a 1,400-square-foot space in Portland—previously operating as a hair salon—with strong foot traffic, neighboring a bank, phone store, dentist, Starbucks and FedEx. “It feels like a perfect tenant mix,” she says.
Dr. McCann worked with her design team to knock down walls, build new ones and run new plumbing and electrical—all while working full-time until two weeks before opening day. “I wanted the office to feel natural,” she says. She chose green as the main office color as “Oregon is a very green state. Portland is known as Stumptown,” she says. The walls are green with a darker shade toward the ceiling to draw the eye upward, complementing the soaring black ceiling that matches the trim throughout the space.
The flooring is the original stained concrete, which Dr. McCann loves for its organic tone and easy maintenance. White oak furniture from IKEA adds comfort without overwhelming the space, and the custom front desk features wood paneling with a granite countertop. Dr. McCann “sampled lots of chairs” herself to ensure they were actually comfortable, she says.
The optical holds space for about 400 frames, including glass shelving in the front window for the newest additions. A hiccup early in the renovation—initial frame boards lacking proper support and requiring the wall to be rebuilt—inspired Dr. McCann to embrace the challenge in a new way.
EMBRACING THE CHALLENGE
“I like the feeling of knowing what I’m doing and having things under control, so that setback was stressful,” she says. But she says as much stress as it caused, it also sparked a new level of passion.
“I had never opened a practice before,” she says. “It was like learning a different language. I know eyes. I do not know construction. But so far, it hasn’t felt like ‘too much.’ I know this learning curve is temporary. I’m happy to put in all the effort now to bring my vision to life.”
Dr. McCann has leaned into technology to refine her practice from day one. She used AI tools to experiment with colors, textures and materials, helping her visualize how elements would interact in the space. She outfitted her exam lane with a Topcon package and has a second lane ready when needed; she plans on using it to offer myopia management and specialty contact lens training. The practice also has an on-site lab, where all lens edging is completed in-house.
Less than 15 minutes from home, Grapevine Vision has allowed Dr. McCann the freedom of private practice while giving back to her community. “It feels nice to be a small, local provider in the neighborhood,” she says. “It’s all about the patient experience.”
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