Optometrist duo purchase first practice

Optometrists Ameerah Riaz Ahmed and Nasir Ahmed have purchased Cacoullis Opticians in Halesowen, a market town in the West Midlands.

The practice is the first business venture for the husband-and-wife pair who both qualified in 2016.

The sale of the practice, which was established in 1965, became official last week.

Mrs Riaz Ahmed confirmed that the practice would retain the Cacoullis name in order to “continue the heritage and values from the family-run practice.”

Speaking to OT about the purchase, Mrs Riaz Ahmed said: “It’s a very exciting time for us. The business has huge potential, and we are looking forward to welcoming patients into our practice.”

Mrs Riaz Ahmed shared that after giving birth to her first child during the pandemic, she and her husband were keen to “build a legacy for ourselves and our daughter.” Having attended the practice as a child, she felt that the location and patient demographic would provide the pair with the “perfect opportunity.”

Acknowledging that venturing into practice ownership during the pandemic has come with its challenges, Mrs Riaz Ahmed told OT that “there are also many positives.” Based on a small High Street, the optometrist explained that “as people are more often choosing to stay close to home and shop locally when they can, the practice’s location provides many opportunities.”

“[The practice] has had an influx of potential new patients during the pandemic through people wishing to stay local and there is opportunity to increase its capacity,” she said, adding: “We know the practice has huge potential.”

Since qualifying, Mrs Riaz Ahmed and Mr Ahmed have worked across various settings including High Street, hospital and academia.

Mrs Riaz Ahmed said the pair look forward to “being able to really use all of the skills that we have gathered from the settings that we have worked in and bring them into this practice to provide patients with a unique service.”

The Local Mayor will attend the official opening of the practice next month, Mrs Riaz Ahmed confirmed.