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Optometrist serving low-income clients being evicted

145 views · Published 29 September 2016 · 2:19 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2016 · News & Politics

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CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A business that's served low-income Cincinnatians for years is being evicted and the owner says he's not sure what his clients will do.

If people have walked along Court Street downtown, they have probably seen the sign for Union Optical. Evictions come and go, it happens and it's never easy. And if people have a month-to-month lease, well, they live month to month.

But the optometrist who runs the store said he's been month to month for decades. Dr. Glen Whithead said the business dates to the 1940. He's owned it since the early 80s.

Dr. Whithead said he was one of the few optometrists left in the area who still take Medicaid reimbursements, making it possible for low-income Cincinntians to get glasses. He was worried what his patients will do because he's been given a month to get out.

Dr. Whithead shared, “We save a life every day. Now and then, you need to be in the ER. Every once in awhile we hear from people who say, ‘Dr. Whithead you saved my life.’ so I feel pretty good about that.” He continued, “We came in a week ago Tuesday and there was a letter shoved under the door and it told us, ‘We're Brickstone properties and we recently took over Managemnet of your building. After careful review of your building we have determined it is no longer possible to keep the building operating due to high vacancy and needed repair.’ Of course we've been her 30 years so I don't know what this is, high vacancy."

Dr. Whithead said he finally heard from a representative of the management company saying there might be a temporary space for him somewhere else, and he might be able to move back someday if the building is renovated. But as of now he's scheduled to be out by October 14. Ironic for an optometrist, it's hard to see the future very clearly.

Local 12 News called the landlord, Brickstone Properties, twice. Nobody called back so Local 12 went over there and got a big old, “We can't comment.” So who knows what may happen at the building.

A spokesperson for the city said the building was historic and is not slated for demolition.

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