Two Local Store Owners Celebrate National Small Business Week

This May 4–10, two of Sterling Optical’s Maryland franchise owners will shine a spotlight on National Small Business Week by combining forces to celebrate community, entrepreneurship, and women in business.

Lolita Munir of Temple Hills and Lisa Hejna-Thrower of Waldorf—each a mother and a longtime pillar in their community—are offering weeklong specials at their respective Sterling Optical locations as a testament to collaboration over competition.

For more than 30 years, the Sterling Optical at the Shops at Iverson in Temple Hills has been a cornerstone of eye health and style in Prince George’s County. Under the leadership of Lolita Munir, the store has built a reputation for pairing accessible pricing with luxury-brand choices such as Cartier, Gucci, and Tom Ford. Beyond fashion, her team partners regularly with local churches, job-placement programs and schools to provide eye exams and eyeglasses to underserved families—ensuring that financial hurdles never stand between a child and clear vision.

Half an hour south, in Waldorf, Lisa Hejna-Thrower's Sterling Optical store has served Charles County residents for 28 years. Known for its convenient one-hour prescription service, broad insurance acceptance and a warranty on all frames and lenses, the Waldorf location is also one of the area’s most affordable eye-care destinations. And this spring, the store is excited to introduce a new light-therapy treatment for dry eyes, underscoring her commitment to bringing cutting-edge care to her neighbors.

While each owner has thrived independently—one through community outreach, the other through service innovations—their joint National Small Business Week promotion unites their strengths. Working together reminds them that lifting fellow women entrepreneurs makes everyone here stronger.

Established by the U.S. Small Business Administration more than 60 years ago, National Small Business Week honors the ingenuity and dedication of America’s small-business owners. This year’s theme—community impact through partnership—resonates deeply with these two leaders, who will be offering exclusive frame discounts and complimentary eye-health screenings throughout the week.

Area residents are invited to stop in, learn more about eye health, and support two local businesswomen whose entrepreneurial spirit and community devotion exemplify the true impact of small business.