Martin Smith Opticians

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. Late one afternoon, as Martin Smith Opticians closed its shutters, an elderly gentleman entered the dimly lit hallway. He stopped abruptly, his eyes wide with surprise—an unfamiliar scent lingered in the air, like freshly brewed coffee mixed with old books and lemon drops. ‘Good day,’ he said, sniffing curiously. A young assistant appeared from behind the counter, smiling warmly. ‘Welcome! We’ve had a bit of a mix-up today.’ The man’s expression changed from puzzlement to amusement as she added, ‘It seems our new shipment arrived early—along with its own little aroma!’

2. In the dim light of early morning, a delivery driver pulled up outside Martin Smith Opticians. As he unloaded boxes from his van, he noticed something odd in the wheelbarrow parked next to the store. Curious, he picked it up—it was a pair of old spectacles, their lenses covered in dust and cobwebs. Upon closer inspection, he saw an old advertisement stuck to one lens: ‘See Clearly Again!’ It turned out to be an antique promotional item from decades ago. With a smile, he placed them back where they belonged—next to the store’s vintage display of glasses—and went on his way. Later that day, a regular customer remarked, “I thought those were just props!” To which Martin replied, “No, mate, they’re our secret time machine.”

3. In the dim light of early morning, a delivery driver pulled up outside Martin Smith Opticians. As he stepped out, his dog began frantically sniffing around the entrance, stopping abruptly and staring intently at something invisible to everyone else. The driver looked down and saw nothing but an empty sidewalk. Confused, he followed the dog’s gaze and noticed for the first time a small, misplaced pair of glasses lying on the pavement. He picked them up, wiped off some dust, and called inside: ‘Anyone here named John?’ A voice replied from within, ‘That would be me.’ The driver smiled and handed over the glasses, saying, ‘Next time, leave your specs where they belong—even dogs can find them!’

4. Late one night, while Martin Smith Opticians was almost empty, a curious cat crept in through an open door and began exploring the shelves. Suddenly, an alarm went off—just another false alarm, as it turned out. The cat yawned, stretched, and sauntered out, leaving behind a small pile of fur on the counter. A puzzled employee cleaned up the mess, wondering if maybe they should close that door more securely next time.