Filed under: Niloca, 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.
Johnny Begale, Sausage Kitchen Manager
Johnny is wearing a spicy Jawd frame by the Australian eyewear designer, Niloca, who are known for unexpected shapes and unique use of color in their handmade frames.
Paulina Meat Market is one of those great family business that are hard to find these days. In 1984, just as the current location was opening it’s doors, Johnny’s dad Bill, applied and started his career, learning to “break down cattle and serve carnivourous Chicagoans.” He and his wife, Laurie had the opportunity to buy the business from the original owners in 2006, and have made the market their own, exapnding their selection of fresh meats and sausages and compimentary products to appeal to the needs of their customers while still keeping the original roots of their German-American Meat Market intact.
Johnny has a degree in accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University and worked for 2 years at McGladrey, but found himself wondering if that was the right fit. He began working for the family business in 2011 with the Sausage Kitchen team. “I have an awesome family and was fortunate enough to have a place to go when I needed to take a step back and figure things out.” Johnny has also put his accounting and business knowledge to good use, helping to make Paulina Meat Market the World Class Meat Market it is today.
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Fun Facts about Johnny:
How long have you been in business? Paulina Market has been in business since 1949 (65 years)
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? I was 19 when Annapolis came out (just on the edge of teenage years), and James Franco is a stud in that movie so would have to go with him!
If you could be any animal, what would it be? I would have to be a bird, a Bald Eagle to be specific I guess. I don’t know much about Bald Eagles, but I love to travel and I love my country so that would be a sweet animal to be!
Are you right or left handed? Righty
What color are your eyes? Brown
Where did you grow up? Niles, IL
What ‘hood do you live in? Roscoe Village
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Johnny and his family want Paulina Market always strives to understand its customers and their meat-eating needs and pushes itself to be the best market in town!
Paulina Meat Market * 3501 N. Lincoln Avenue (corner of Lincoln & Cornelia) Chicago, IL 60657 * 773.248.6272
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, RES/REI, Theo
Introducing our Customers Of The Week…Ellen and Denny!
Ellen and Denny love unique handmade eyewear so much that they braved the midwest winter weather and travelled all the way from Kalamzoo, MI not once but twice to get their hands on their new specs!
Denny picked up a handsome pair of ResRei Ottone Frames.
They are comfortable and the two-tone color make them an easy pair of specs to wear everyday.
Ellen was a little more adventerous with her choice…
and went home with a bright red pair of Theo Tijl frames. They are a bold statement that look fantastic on Ellen, but she didn’t stop there…
Ellen added a bright yellow custom sun-clip by our favorite sun-clip designer, CustomEyes. The yellow looks so great with the red frame, that everyone here at EyeSpyOptical are dreaming about getting sun-clips for our wn frames!
I hope Ellen and Denny are ready for people to stop them on the street, because they looks amazing in their new specs!
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Filed under: NEWS!, SpexWax
When David from SpexWax came strolling into Eye Spy a few weeks ago, we could not contain our excitement!!
He sent us a sample frame the week before….and we all wanted to keep the frame for ourselves. It was a green cat-eye…..made from discarded, colorful, vinyl records!
The records were pressed by a music house in Ohio named Gotta Grooves, but were not exactly perfect. So….they were shipped to David in Cali-forn-I-A. Then, David bonds three records into one and cuts a unique piece of eyewear!!
We went crazy and bought over a dozen on the spot!! Do you love them as much as we do?? Take a peek…
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Filed under: Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Theo
Welcome Michele to the Customer Of The Week Club!!!
Michele walked into Eye Spy and knew what she wanted. Two new frames – one black, one white or clear. Michelle is the kind of woman who knows what she wants…and she got it with the help of our very own Specs Wrangler, Patsy.
The first pair Patsy pulled out was a gorgeous pair of matte black Theo Mille+4 frames. Not only were they a perfect fit, but they matched Michele’s laid-back-rocker-with-a-bit-of-an-edge look. Mille+4’s rounded edges and soft matte-black texture make this anything but your average black frame.
The second frame, Gigi by Caroline Abram, is a little dressier with its pretty gold metal details. The modern angles really accentuate Michele’s cheek bones and the larger lenses show off her eyes. Michele can wear these for a night out on the town, or with jeans and a t-shirt for a more casual look.
We love what Michele decided to get and can’t to see what she chooses next time!
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Filed under: Shop Local. Shop Lincoln, Theo
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.
Katherine McHenry, owner of Building Blocks
Katherine is wearing a pair of playful and flirty fluorescent red Theo Mille +26 frames. After modelling these frames for us, she decided that she loved them…and purchased them!!
Katherine, a self proclaimed “educator-wannabe, play ambassador and retail aficionado” opened her store in 1996. This wasn’t her first business though, she got her start at 9 selling candy out of her apartment in Queens, NY. She dabbled in retail for a while and worked in accounting, but it wasn’t until she opened Building Blocks that she really found her passion. “Serving families with educational, developmental and play-based products” is what really floats Katherine’s boat.
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Fun Facts About Katherine:
How long have you been in business? 18 years
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? Rob Lowe
If you could be any animal, what would it be? A bird
Are you Right or Left handed?: Right handed
What color are your eyes? Brown
Where did you grow up? Queens, NY
What hood do you live in? West Edgewater
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Katherine is a busy woman. She not only has two stores, she opened the Wicker Park location in 2008, but she also is a mom. Tai and Linh keep her on her toes and get to test drive all the best toys!
Make sure you stop in the next time you need a toy for a little person in your life. Katherine will be happy to help you.
Building Blocks * 3306 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Il 60657 * 773-525-6200
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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: EVENTS!, NEWS!, Niloca
You know how some things just go together…peanut butter and jelly, picnics and sunny days…David Bowie and Niloca! …or is that just me?
The first time I laid eyes on these babies, I was wowed! The colors, shapes, and even textures that the talented Colin Redmond and his team use in their designs are fit for a queen…or maybe a space alien king!
I can’t think of anything better than getting dressed up in a pair of Niloca specs and spending the day dancing through the wonderful world of that crazy music making genius at the David Bowie retrospective at the Museum of Contempoary Design in Chicago. The show features over 400 objects from a 5 decade career including handwritten lyrics, set designs and COSTUMES!
you said what?!?
Niloca hasn’t been around for 5 decades yet, but with their fun and playful designs, I am willing to bet that they will be.
space aged in the best of ways
You will have to hurry if you want to go visit Bowie’s world…the last day of the show is January 4th, and you should definitely go, even if you don’t have a pair of wacky specs to wear (but you know where to come if you want some!) The MCA will have special Extended David Bowie is a Holiday Hours for the last week of the show, so you really don’t have an excuse for missing it.
You know you want to.
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