Filed under: FASHION!, NEWS!
Bold color…Check! Beautiful wearable shapes…Check! Unique design details…Check! Fantastic textures…Check! Piero Massaro frames have it all!
It is no surprise that the Queen of Specs fell hard for Italian eyewear designer’s newest offerings and had to pick them up for the store!
Massaro is an artist, playing with color, pattern and shape to create beautiful handmade eyewear. He finds his inspiration in the world around him. Simple geometric shapes are puzzled together to create bold shapes. Striped acetates evoke schools of fish swimming in the Mediterranean. Colors are inspired by the foods around him…fragrant oranges, toasted almonds, and pistachio nuts.
Massaro is the recipient of the prestegious Special Award of the international jury of the Silmo d’Or in Paris in 2014, celebrating creativity and innovation.
Each frame is carefully made by hand in Italy by skilled craftspeople. Frames are limited to 100 pcs per color and shape and each frame is numbered.
Stop by the shop and try them on. You will totally understand why we are so enamored with them!
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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: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!
It is no secret that we have the most fantastic, talented, and fun customers around, here at Eye Spy Optical! Our current Customer Of The Week is no exception….Say hi to Jamie Barton!!!
Jamie is rocking her custom Francis Klein Wing frame.
Jamie is an international award-winning opera singer, a grammy nominee, and an all-around amazing woman! She travels around singing her heart out and performing in all the best cities. She recently played Henry VIII’s Jane Seymore in ANNA BOLENA with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Jamie and Sara, our Design Maven, became quick friends because of their mutual love for Francis Klein’s sparkly frames. Jamie had a hard choice to make, and ended up deciding she couldn’t live without her two favorites, Wing and Party.
Jamie’s Francis Klein Wing in a custom color and decor.
Jamie really liked the Wing frame, but didn’t see quite the right color and decor combo, so Sara helped her customize her frame and special ordered a frame just for her. It took a few weeks, but Jamie thinks it was definitely worth the wait!
This Special Edition Wing was whispering Jamie’s name!
The Special Edition Wing frame really is like wearing jewelry on your face, and they fit Jamie like they were made just for her. And Rhinestones! She couldn’t resist.
You can follow Jamie’s travels and find out where she will be performing next at her website: http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/ or on her facebook page.
We can’t wait for her to perform in Chicago again so we can go see her!
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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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Filed under: Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, EVENTS!
Introducing our lovely Customer of the Week…Silvana and her adorable pup Penny!
Oh that face!
When Silvana and Penny walked in to the shop it was love at first site… for everyone! We were enamored with puppy snuggles and she fell in LOVE with an absolutely gorgeous teal pair of Liliane glasses by Caroline Abram.
Silvana and Penny spend their days at the Chicago Mosaic School and are pros at taking care of business in style!!! So stop by for a class or workshop and make sure to say hi for us!
Caroline Abram is known for effortless and wearable style and all of her frame shapes come in a rainbow of colors.
SQUEAL!!!!
Don’t forget that this Saturday (November 15) is our Caroline Abram Trunk Show. Stop by, see the new collection and fall in love!
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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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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Julbo
It’s a family affair! This trio was just too cute, so we made all three of them the Customers of the Week!!
Meet Kathy, Curt, and their little bruiser, Wil!
Curt has been coming to Eye Spy for frames for some time now. He’s gathered quite the collection of Anne et Valentin frames. His “Factory Eight” frames (pictured here) are his most recent addition. Since Curt developed such an appreciation for the designer, it was only natural that Kathy would end up being just as inspired!
When the family came in to pick up Curt’s glasses, our Anne at Valentin trunk show just happened to be in full swing at Eye Spy. Kathy hadn’t purchased glasses in years, but fell in love with the “Lou” frame in chocolate brown with pink accents. She decided that she needed to look as good as her husband, but needed a very comfortable frame. This titanium frame fit the bill…and will stand up to the wear and tear that certain toddlers can impose on glasses;-)
A special honorable mention goes to the little guy, sporting his super fly Julbo sunglasses. Maybe when he’s all grown up, he’ll join the ranks and carry on the Anne et Valentin frame tradition!
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Spectacular Sunglasses, Thierry Lasry
Proud to announce our newest Customer of the Week: Laura!
Laura holds a special place in my heart because she’s a fellow New Yorker. Laura’s subtle sass and sharp wit (authentic New Yorker traits) were perfectly complimented by the frames she chose. First up: The “Amy” frames by Rapp . This frame kind of called out to her, with the understated nude pink color and the edgy-ness of the brushed metal temples.
Next was the Anne et Valentin “Octet” frame. At first she questioned whether these frames were just “too much”. But I said “You’re a New Yorker…you can wear whatever you want.”
Finally, the cherry on top were the Thierry Lasry “Tipsy” sunglasses. We didn’t get to snap a picture of Laura wearing these glamrock frames, but I can assure you she looks like a badass.
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
We’d like you ALL to meet our newest Customer of the Week: Stephen!
This handsome, blue-eyed fellow decided to customize a pair of Anni Shades! For those of you who don’t know, Anni Shades are the only wooden (yes, WOOD) frames made in the Midwest! And they’re HIGHLY customizable. Taking advantage of that, Stephen chose this “Delray” frame in Ebony wood and selected an aqua blue accent. These far-from-basic frames suit Stephen perfectly, whether he’s going to his awesome job at Google, or brunching it with his hilarious entourage. 
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
Starting off March the only way we know how…WITH A NEW CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
Meet Christie!
Christie had been pining for a pair of glitzy Francis Klein frames with just the right amount of purple and sparkle. After many trials and tribulations, we finally got to the right frame: a customized Francis Klein “Iona” in crystal lavender with pink Swarovski crystal decor…and icy blue temples! We appreciate that she was patient during the grueling process of finding the perfect frame. And we’re so happy she chose these flawless beauties!
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