Filed under: Anne et Valentin, Shop Local. Shop Lincoln
In order to highlight our fellow independent small business owners on our stretch of Lincoln Ave., we asked our photographer, Dave Rentauskus, to take portraits of our comrades in our spectacular specs….along with a few shots of their shops.
Luke Karl, VP at Dinkel’s Bakery
Anne et Valentin makes wearable frames in some great color combos like this orange and black D-Mo frame that Luke is wearing.
Dinkel’s was opened by Joseph K. Dinkel and his wife Antonie opened Dinkel’s Bakery in 1922. He was a master baker in Germany and after immigrating to Chicago, they set out to start their own bakery.
Since then, Dinkel’s has become a Chicago institution and is now being operated under the third generation of Dinkels with Joseph’s son -Norman, his grandson Eric, and his grand daughter and her husband – Sandgren and Luke running the show.
They have kept tradition alive, using many of Joseph’s original recipes still to this day.
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Fun Facts About Luke:
How long has the Dinkel’s been in business? Since 1922
How long ave you been working there? 2008
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? My idol was Wynton Marsalis
If you could be any animal, what would it be? Peregrine Falcon
Are you right or left handed? Right handed
What color are your eyes? Brown
Where did you grow up? Kansas City, KS
What hood do you live in now? Lakeview
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Dinkel’s Bakery has expanded thanks to the wonders of the internet and now people who grew up eating delicious goodies from Dinkel’s can now buy them and serve them to their families no matter where they live by visiting www.dinkels.com.
Dinkel’s is the kind of bakery that puts a smile on your face. Just one bite of deliciousness and you will be hooked!
Dinkel’s Bakery * 3329 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago Il 60657 * 773-281-7300
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!
Three Cheers for Dana…Our Customer of the Week!
Dana is styling in her Anne et Valentin D-Gree frames!
Dana is a long time customer and a whole lot of fun! Dana is an actress and a fitness & dance instructor and she loves to wear fun and funky frames when she isn’t sporting her contacts.
She picked out her first pair of funky specs from Eye Spy Optical in 2001!!! You don’t believe us? Well, take a peek at the evidence from our photo album below!
When Dana came in for frames this time, she told the Optical Oracle that she wanted something a bit more serious and grown up. The Oracle had the perfect frame in mind, Anne et Valentin D-Gree in a beautiful soft tortoise and purple combo.
D-gree has just the right blend of sophistication and sass!
D-gree’s angles and colors really complement Dana’s amazing smile and are still fun and funky. No boring frames for her!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Francis Klein, RES/REI
3 Cheers for James, Our Customer of Week…and his Francis Klein Salto frames!!!
Francis Klein Salto. A sophisticated frame for a sophisticated guy.
James followed his wife into Eye Spy last summer, when they flew into town from Chapel Hill, North Carolina…since Brooke needed her annual glasses fix from Eye Spy:-) This was James’ *first* pair of specs, and he walked out looking like a rock star. Brooke tried to out-do him and get two pairs, but that’s another story…
We had to make James our Customer of the Week, as he just stopped by to get an adjustment on his glasses….and we finally got to take his photo in his new specs:-)
James was back in-town in order to attend Eve of the Eve, an annual black-tie event to raise money for HighSight, later that evening. HighSight is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide academic and social support to Chicago high school students, and James is on the board, so he had to look his best. Lucky for him, the Specs Wrangler was able work her magic and tame those frames in no time! The event was a success, and James even sent a picture from the evening.
James is rocking his tux and glasses like a boss!
Even though this is James’ first pair of glasses, he is already in love with wearing cool colorful frames….so, he is already thinking about his next two pairs!! Which one would you choose??
We can’t wait to see which he frames he will be sporting with his tux next year!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, Anni Shades, EVENTS!, Francis Klein, Lafont, Niloca, Rapp, RES/REI, RVS, Theo
We are even more excited than you are!! Why you ask? Well, we have a new custom, colorful, handmade line on the way to Eye Spy in January…and frankly, we need somewhere to put all the new frames. We don’t have any extra room at Eye Spy, so that’s where the sale comes in!!
For the ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY, our handmade eyewear will be discounted from 25% to 75% off, with prices as low as $99!
Swing by to check out deals over a 100 pairs of frames including Theo, Anne et Valentin, Rapp, Res/Rei and Mykita. Best of all, we will have of Lafont, Francis Klein & RVS frames that will be up to 75% off! Treat yourself to a new look for the New Year!
We are also having a Friends and Family Event! Join us on Thursday, January 15th from 11-7pm for 15% off prescription lenses as well as additional frame discounts.
Show your loved ones how you shop local and purchase handmade products that last:-)
We will have snacks & drinks upstairs…and in the downstairs family room, movies will be playing for the kiddos…along with freshly-popped corn! Honestly, what more could you want while shopping for glasses?
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Theo, Unique Frame Lines
Yes! Mark & Jill and their fantastic technicolor frames are here for Customer of the Week!
Mark in his Theo’s and Jill in her limited edition Anne Et Valentin sunnies.
Customized CustomEyes Sun Clip!
Mark, a die-hard Anne Et Valentin fan, was convinced to try something a little different this go around – he is a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to fantastic frames, as he has been a customer for over 10 years!
And oh boy! He was happy when he put on his new green Theo Aramis frames with custom-made sun clips by CustomEyes. As you can imagine, Jill couldn’t let Mark be the only one in the family getting new eyewear!! She chose an Anne et Valentin limited-edition sunglass to protect her eyes….and look great, of course!!
Mark and Jill are a great match. They both have a creative eye and an adventurous spirit! Just ask them about their recent cycling trip through Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. We want to see some pictures!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, NEWS!
If you would like to stop by our humble shop of custom, colorful, handmade eyewear…please be aware that we have some changes to our schedule due to the holi-daze!
In addition to our regular hours of Tuesday-Friday 11-7, Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12-5, we will be open or closed as follows:
Hope to see you soon!!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
Put your hands together, my friends, and help me welcome the one…the only…HOT DOUG!!!!
Hot Doug is so suave (you thought I was going to say hot!) in his new Anne Et Valentine Fame frame.
Hot Doug is well known ’round these parts for serving up delicious salty encased meats (hot dogs!) for the past 13 years at the Chi-town institution, Hot Doug’s.
You can’t get the dogs anymore, but you CAN still get a T-Shirt!!!
He closed up shop in October, but you can still outfit your friends and family for your Hot Doug’s fan club at his website.
Don’t worry, he isn’t going to retire and disappear (though he may decide to take a long nap) and will be pursuing other exciting opportunities soon – maybe a charity, something that gives back to Chicago…we think he should persue an acting career!
Chi-Town Showdown: George Wendt-Jitsu vs Hot Doug-Fu from Wolf Point Media on Vimeo.
Whatever he decides, Doug is ready to for his next adventure in his cool new green and black Anne Et Valentin Fame frames.
Doug’s career in encased-meats might be over, but Fame will help him get through his days!
Known as a friendly guy, Doug made friends with people all over the country (a few weeks ago he ran into a guy who recognized him when he was on an RV trip down south!) He even gave our Queen of Specs a free veggie dog one day when she took her princesses out for a bite and forgot her wallet. Awwe!
So, my friends, if you see Hot Doug around, say hi and make sure you compliment him on his new specs. And, as Doug said when he left Eye Spy the other day, Happy Cholidays!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, FASHION!, Mykita, RES/REI
If you have spent some time hanging out here at Eye Spy, you may have heard one of us mention a genius named Arnold from CustomEyes once or twice (probably more than that…we really really love him). He is the man behind our custom painted sun clips and frames.
This frame and custom clip are cool as a cucumber.
That is right…let that sink in a bit. CUSTOM…PAINTED…FRAMES and SUN CLIPS!
You want a green Theo frame painted pink? Easy Peasy!
You want a sun clip to match your ombre purple Caroline Abram glasses with a green flash mirror? Get those tissues out ’cause you are going to cry Tears of Joy!
Have you had dreams of little hearts and stars all over your blue Mykitas AND a clip with teddy bears on it…well, I am not sure if he is a miracle worker…but we could ask!
Aren’t these just dreamy?
If you have a metal frame that needs to be jazzed up a bit, or you have odd-shaped specs that needs a clip, HE IS THE MAN!
Anne Et Valentin Flora before…
Put down that white-out and step away from the glasses!!!! Arnold will make that frame black and white for you…trust us.
Now Flora is Black, White and HOT all over!
Love what you see? Then what are you waiting for? Get in here and get one of these little works of art on your face!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Niloca, Rigards
So, you might be thinking that Elspeth is our customer of the week because she bought three pairs of spectacular specs from Eye Spy, but you would be wrong. She is customer of the week because she looks amazing and totally different in all three pairs!!
Sure enough every time Elspeth comes to find new frames, the Specs Wrangler just happens to be here! It’s like magic…or something close to it. They share their love of luscious leather boots and, of course, delectable glasses! After a process of elimination they settled on these three beauties. First up, we’ve got a powder blue Niloca Clockwork frame. The Specs Wrangler loved these so much, she ordered a pair for herself! Second on the dream series, she’s got an Anne et Valentin Modern Love! Lastly, Elspeth patiently waited for Rigards to come in, a brand new line to Eye Spy! Rigards is made from sustainably harvested buffalo horn! What?!
Each frame fits her like a dream. Hilariously, Patsy, the Specs Wrangler, also fits all the same frames!!!! Thanks for being perfectly lovely to work with Elspeth! You are a wonderful customer of the week!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, Anni Shades, Caroline Abram, EVENTS!, Francis Klein, Rapp, Theo
Yep, it’s what you have been waiting for all year…the new 2015 eyewear collections straight from Paris!!!! Hollah!
While the Queen of Specs takes the long voyage to Paris every year, and suffers while doing so (just kidding!), we make it easy on all of our customers by inviting the representatives from a small selection of our lines to Eye Spy on Saturdays on November. We tried to mix it up a bit this year…so we hope you are as excited as we are!!
Which show should you put on your calendar, if you cannot attend all of the shows? Good Question.
Here are links to the lines that we are showing…Take a peek and see which ones might be your soulmate!
11/1: Rapp and Anni Shades -select shape and color and have a custom pair made just for you!
11/8: Francis Klein- select shape and color and have a custom sparkly pair made just for you!
11/15: Caroline Abram- sexy cat-eyes at an awesome price!
11/22: Theo eyewear- incredible colors and shapes in acetate and metal!
11/28: Anne et Valentin- very wearable shapes and colors…in unexpected combinations!
AND if you want a private showing on the Sunday following each show…just call us at 773.477.2670 or email us at [optician at eyespyoptical.com] for an appointment 
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