A PERFECT PLACE TO CALL HOME

By Gareth hataye • Photo By eric Johnson

Our family arrived in Austin in 1994. Having just purchased our optometric practice, with my wife Dr. Alaina, 2-year-old Sydney, and 1-year-old Selena in hand, the transition was quite busy.

Having moved from Duluth without family in town, the presence of our parents, and Uncle Dick and Aunt Belita made for a much welcomed change. The 25 years have gone by so quickly, and the kids have grown up and moved away. The busy early years with kid’s activities and programs having been replaced by volunteering, coaching, and bringing mountain bike trails to the community. Austin is a community where many are understanding, caring, willing to help when in need, and to lead by example. A vibrant community with a healthy arts and recreation scene, is there more you can ask for? Like the old saying goes, “Does it get any better than this?”

Some say that the days of stable, personal businesses are gone, but I care to differ. Look around Austin, as there are many businesses that have stood the test of time. As our eyecare practice has grown over the years, it has been built on our patients’ trust and our commitment to the community. We’ve grown our practice, embraced technology, and flowed with the changing trends.

We provide a full scope of eyecare, from regular eye exams to contact lenses. But, the medical side of eyecare is often overlooked. From treating eye infections to corneal foreign bodies, to eye disease detection and management, we often act as a gatekeeper for referrals for more serious eye conditions. We’ve seen toddlers become teenagers, teens become adults, and adults become parents, bringing things full circle. I guess doing something you love for almost 35 years probably has that effect.

If I’m not at work, or home with family, you can probably find me on a bike, cross country skis, or working on Austin’s very own mountain bike trail. With approximately five miles of trail on Schindler’s Way Mountain Bike Trail, we’ve created a place where one can find exercise, others serenity. Having hosted 5 Minnesota High School Cycling League races, it attracts many visitors to our community. Many volunteers have spent countless hours sculpting the trail to become a hidden jewel that our community can speak of with pride.

As I drive around Austin, I see a community that is relaxed as a warm summer day, serious, when issues need to be solved, understanding when we need to be heard, and caring all the time. Having grown up in Hawaii, Austin might not seem to be the ideal place to call home. It is the birthplace of Spam, though. And, maybe an occasional SPAM musubi. But, as a place to raise your children, personally develop, start and grow a business and give back in ways you wouldn’t think possible, it may be the perfect doggone place to call home! That is what I love about Austin!

HAVE A BETTER PORK-LIFE BALANCE.