BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – As talks surrounding tariffs continue to ripple through international markets, local entrepreneurs are closely monitoring production costs, prices, and profit margins.
One Michigan-based startup, Benny’s Eyewear, is weathering that uncertainty while pressing ahead with product development and a new celebrity collaboration.
Founded and run by Bloomfield Township resident Susan Berryman, Benny’s Eyewear produces stylish, affordable, ready-made reading glasses.
The brand, named after Benjamin Franklin, launched less than a year ago and already offers 17 frame options that Berryman says are handmade in Italy.
“We wanted to use the best of everything,” said Berryman, describing the company’s design goals.
Berryman operates the business from her home, with help from her family, while building the brand.
She creates inspiration boards to develop frame concepts and says she deliberately prioritized a classic, understated look with pops of color.
Starting and scaling an eyewear company has pushed Berryman far outside her comfort zone.
“I had to register with the FDA. I had to build an international supply chain. I had no idea how to do any of that,” Berryman said.
That international supply chain is central to her brand promise: quality frames handcrafted in Italy.
But it’s also where tariffs and shifting trade policy complicate planning.
“Every day when you wake up, it’s changing,” Berryman said of the trade environment. “It’s something that you have to think about in terms of pivoting, you know, from a price point — your cost of goods. And all of that, where you’re like, OK, can I still continue manufacturing where I’m doing it? For us, that’s the whole basis of our brand. We are not moving out of Italy.”
Despite the pressures, Berryman is optimistic.
Benny’s is preparing to launch a collaboration with Michigan actress Selma Blair, who Berryman says became a fan of the brand within its first 10 months and approached the company about a potential partnership.
That new collection is slated to launch early next year.
Berryman’s advice for shoppers: “Find something that you love and really think outside the box.” She encourages customers to explore frame shapes and colors and to visit Benny’s online and in person at pop-up events around Metro Detroit.
Click here for more information and a list of upcoming pop-ups.