Filed under: 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.
Alissa Fields, Queen of Specs at Eye Spy Optical
Alissa is wearing her signature Theo Cinquante in Hot Pink. The bright color really pops on this classic shape and is anything but ordinary – just like Alissa!
Also known ’round these parts as The Queen of Specs, Alissa is the colorful and funky owner of Eye Spy Optical.
Eye Spy Optical came into being after many fruitless searches for red and purple glasses. Realizing that there was a lack of fun, colorful and funky glasses in Chicago, Alissa (a.k.a the Queen of Specs) decided that the folks in Chicago deserve glasses that have some personality!
Since Alissa was a kid, she wanted to start her own business. She had lemonade stands, worked in retail starting at 4 years old in her grandparents’ lamp store and earned an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Alissa’s parents’ design background guided her interests towards well-designed and beautiful objects. The Queen of Specs wore glasses since the age of 12, and always helped her friends pick out their specs. One day, it finally dawned on her … she would love to have an eyeglass shop and fit people with spectacular specs.
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Fun Facts About Alissa:
How long have you been in business? 17 years
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? Charlie Sheen
If you could be any animal, what would it be? Mandarin Fish
Are you right or left handed? Right handed
What color are your eyes? Hazel
Where did you grow up? Rogers Park, Lakeview, Glencoe, Wilmette and Evanston…Whew!
What hood do you live in now? Mayfair
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Alissa and her staff pride themselves in outfitting customers with frames that are bit out-of-the-ordinary. Many of their customers say that they are surprised at what eyeglasses they choose for them. They always hear how much our customers love their new glasses, how many compliments they receive, how much fun they had picking out frames…and how they will return to Eye Spy again and again!
They stock frames in every color of the rainbow, and sell more red and purple glasses than black glasses. They also do a ton of special orders, so if you are looking for something specific or more sedate, they can help you find it. They have spectacular specs and shades for men, women and kids.
Eye Spy Optical offers personalized fittings, “Try-before-you-buy” digital photos of you in your glasses, expert advice, comprehensive eye exams and contact lens fittings, and honest opinions…about anything and everything!! If you let them guide you and listen to their opinions, it will be easy to decide on your new pair of simply spectacular specs.
Eye Spy Optical * 3350 N Lincoln Ave. Chicago IL 60626 * 773-477-2670
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Filed under: Anni Shades, 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.
Laura Boton, Owner of Sine Qua Non Salons
Laura’s wearing a dreamy pair of Anni Shades Oleg frames. Anni Shades are made in Ohio by hand and can be custom made in almost any color you like!
In 1993, Laura was a frustrated stylist. She wanted to work in a salon where “freedom, creativity and flexibility could exist for the stylists, and comfort and acceptance would be a priority for our guests, ” instead of the run of the mill mico-managing she had experienced in the salon industry.
With a little help, a lot of hard work and $25,000 borrowed from friends and family, Sine Qua Non Salons was a dream come true!
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Fun Facts About Laura:
How long have you been in business? 21 years
Who was your teenage celebrity crush? David Cassidy & Micky Dolenz
If you could be any animal, what would it be? Dog
Are you right or left handed? Right handed
What is your eye color? Brown
Where did you grow up? Des Plaines, the City of Destiny
What hood do you live in? West Rogers Park
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Laura was in that first location, an old house at at 2944 N Lincoln for 5 years. She moved to her current location in 1998 after a failed bid to buy that building (which no longer exists) and has continued as a go-to for the stylish people of Lake View.
Laura loves what she does, “Its been a great ride!”
Sin Qua Non Salons * 3417 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657 * 773.404.8789
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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: EVENTS!, NEWS!
… with Eye Spy & our neighbors during the holiday season!!
Make purchases at locally-owned shops on Lincoln Ave., get entered in a gift raffle…and we donate to a non-profit for each participant:-) It’s easy…read below to see how to participate!
*Pick up a punch card at participating stores from 3200-3600 N Lincoln.
*Shop at 6 or more stores & get your card punched with each purchase.
*Select shops will be giving out samples & discounts.
*Bring the card back to Eye Spy to enter the gift raffle & we will donate $3 to a non-profit organization for each card entered!
*Check out the facebook page for special sneak peaks and updates!
Participating Businesses:
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Filed under: Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Unique Frame Lines
It’s that time again, THURSDAY!!! Which, also happens to be Customer of the Week day! Meet Brooke, who once upon a time lived in Chicago, and then moved to DC, then traveled back to Chi-town to shop for glasses. Brooke tried and tried again to find glasses in DC but nothing lived up to Eye Spy. So back to Eye Spy it was for Brooke. After spending some time with the Specs Wrangler she settled on Caroline Abram. Brooke scooped up two frames, although we only got a picture in one frame.
Brooke acutally insited a photo with the Queen of Specs. She even talked her hubby into getting a pair of glasses, who since he had never been here he got a referral discount! Brooke you look like a total babe in your new Caroline Abram frames! Thanks for the travels and tons of fun! We will see you when you want new frames!
Here’s a peek at her frames!
We will see you next week at the same bat time and on the same bat channel for Customer of the Week!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, February 31st, Gentle Monster, Kaenon, Maui Jim, Oliver Goldsmith, Spectacular Sunglasses, Super, Theo, Thierry Lasry
Join us for some mayhem on Thursday, July 31st from 3-7pm!
Y’all know that August brings our Sunglass sale. Once a year we round up all of our sunglasses, and go over-board on the discounts. We even sneak in a bunch of optical frames:-)
This year we are starting the party a day early, because turn down for what? Thursday will bring a 4 hour sneak peak at the sunglass sale along with a handful of other surprises we’ve got up our sleeves. Trust me, you WANT to know what they are. Perhaps, we will let the cat out of the bag the week of the par-tay! Maybe.
In the meantime, please allow me to temp you with some images of our lovely sunglasses and some total babes in them! We will see you Thursday, JULY 31st from 3-7pm for some snacks, booze and previews.
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