Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Mykita, Non-Profit of the Month, SpexWax, Theo
You may not know this but the Queen of Specs, Alissa, is a woman and a small business owner!!! Gasp! And all of the lovely folks workin’ at Eye Spy Optical these day are also women! So you might not be surprised to find out that Alissa is totally into supporting women’s businesses and issues. Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization. This month we are excited to be working with Women Employed.
Women Employed is a fantastic organization and was founded in 1973 with the mission to “improve the economic status of women and remove barriers to economic equity.” They are focused on addressing issues that impact women in low paying jobs like paid sick-leave, fairness in the workplace, stable schedules, living wages etc.
This is a group of hard-working people who are dedicated to helping women succeed in life and removing major barriers that can get in the way of that.
Some of the awesome accomplishments that Women Employed have achieved in the last 5 years:
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As the leading advocate for state-funded tuition assistance in Illinois, WE prevents deep cuts to those investments in the face of the state’s fiscal crisis.
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WE leads a growing campaign to raise the minimum wage in Illinois and collaborates with national groups to win an increase at the federal level.
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WE wins commitments from state leaders to implement “bridge programs” that help low-skilled adults advance to college-level courses in their chosen career fields.
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WE works with community colleges across Illinois to improve support services that help students stay in school and graduate.
Help us support Women Employed’s mission to assure that “All women are treated fairly in the workplace, are able to attain the skills they need for the jobs they want, and are respected for the work they do.”
We will be donating a portion of our sales at our trunk shows this month, so stop in and check out our fabulous glasses and help suport a great Chicago oranization!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Mykita, SpexWax, Theo
Y’all it’s that magical time of year again! Trunk Show month at Eye Spy! It’s every Saturday all month long! We’ve got all of our favorite lines scheduled to make an appearance! Check out the line up below!
Anne et Valentin on November 7th
Anne et Valentin single handedly manages to give you just the right amount of color and grace in each of their lovely frames! And while their creations are original, colorful and lively, they are, above all, objects that combine ergonomics, technical requirements, and respect for those who wear them.
Spex Wax on November 14th
Spex Wax is the ultimate upcycle: art for your face! Rescuing unplayable records, recrafting them with love and artistry that is the very core of Spex Wax. Come and choose from one of their brilliant styles. If for some reason you can’t manage to find your dream pair, you can have one designed for you! Each pair is totally swoon worthy, but don’t take my word for it, come and see for yourself.
THEO on November 21st
Theo eyewear is a little bit like magic in the way that their frames are designed. If you are looking for metal or acetate they have got you covered in the smartest, dreamiest way possible. Their pairing of color and shape is on point. Don’t believe me? Come in and see every perfect pair in each incredible color. We will have booze and snacks to make your Saturday that much better.
Mykita on November 28th
Mykita has been ruling the the screwless hinge game since 2003! Laser cutting and the hand bending of each frame are just the start of Mykita’s effortless perfection. Clean lines and graceful shapes are where Mykita is at. Oh, and did we mention that they are dang near impossible to break?!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, KIDS!
Our customer of the week this week is another pint-sized person…say yay yay for Mary Morris!!!
She came in for her very first eye exam and was so so so excited to hear that she needed glasses. She has an eye for style and was very sure about what she liked and didn’t like when she tried on frames. Anne et Valentin just came out with a new line of eyewear for children earlier this year, so Mary Morris had a lot of cheerful frames to choose from. Anne et Valentine’s glasses come a bunch of fun candy colors, some of the shapes are new and some are mini versions of their existing frames. Mary Morris tried on a few and quickly decided on a pretty pair of Mia frames in red and blue.
Mary Morris wanted to add a little something fun to her glasses and picked out a little Bijounette accessory by Caroline Abram that is shaped like a slice of cake to dangel off her new specs. If you feel like you want a little goodie for your frames you should come by and see our other treat charms.
We think she is just the cutest and that her glasses are a perfect fit for her personality (she dressed up to match her glasses when she came in to pick them up – seriously, we can’t get enough of this kid!)
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Unique Frame Lines
Hey everyone! We have a new customer of the week! Say hi to Hawke!
Hawke came in needing help fixing an old pair of glasses that had fallen prey to the tiny hands of a grabby child – kids can’t seem to resist the siren song of a pair of glasses…before you know it SWOOP! they are off!
We were able to help him get his old frames back in order, but he realized that he might want to get a new pair since it had been a while since he had updated his glasses game.
Hawke has a low bridge and frames that come with nosepads tend to keep those specs where they need to be, but liked the bold look of plastic frames! Patsy, our Specs Wrangler, got right down to it select the always fantastic, Fame frame by Anne et Valentin. He liked it so much that he decided to get it in 2 colors!
The black and charcoal frame is a great alternative to a boring black frame. It still has the clean lines that you get from a black frame, but the matte plastic on the front add a textural element that keep this frame modern.
Tortoise plastic is classic and softens this grey metal frame bringinging elements of dimension and light.
It is amazing how different the same frame in two different colorways look!
Hawke is now rocking his new frames and feels like a million bucks. I hope he can keep those little kid fingers away from them!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Gentle Monster
Our uber-chic Customer Of The Week is Ruth!
Ruth has been a customer here at Eye Spy for a few years now and she always has wonderful taste. We love how these slightly oversized Anne et Valentin Modern Style frames look on her.
Everything comes together in this frame – the shape is a reimagined take on vintage eyeglass shapes, the little pops of red metal on the temples make this frame modern and the tortoise is a classic color that is crazy versatile.
Ruth’s Gentle Monster Magician frame is also an updated take on a traditional sunny and is a frame she will be able to wear for years.
Chocolate chip acetate and gold metal…how can you go wrong?
Ruth’s frames have all the right elements and she will be able to wear them long after the current fashion trends come and go. This is what classic style is all about!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Francis Klein
Hi all! These truly are the dog days of summer, so we chose our wonderful customer Victoria and her cute pup, Splash, for our Customer Of The Week!
At Eye Spy Optical we LOVE glasses and we LOVE dogs, so when Victoria came in to pick up her new glasses and brought along her furry little friend, we were thrilled and HAD to have a picture of both of them!
Victoria has been a customer for a few years now and on her last trip here, she picked up 2 pairs – first, a gorgeous pair of claret red and minty green Anne et Valentin Minilook. The more traditional shape makes these are perfect for professional settings but have that gorgeous color that looks so great with Victoria’s coloring.
She also decided on a pair of Francis Klein Club frames with a floral silk print. We love how light and easy-going this pair is – perfect for summer garden parties and brunching outside!
Victoria is happy with her new summer frames and Splash gives her paw of approval to both pairs!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Unique Frame Lines
Our Customers of the Week are a fun and fabulous couple…three cheers for Erin and Tom!!!
Erin and Tom used to live in Chicago, but moved to Wisconsin for graduate school…since Erin is working towards her PhD. She is one smart cookie. They still make the trek all the way down to Eye Spy Optical for our fantastic glasses. The both love fashion and think that glasses are the perfect accessory! They each left with 2 frames – a fun pair and a more serious pair for work.
Erin chose a bright red pair of Anne Et Valentin Amber frames for her fun pair. She had the hardest time deciding which color to get – she would have gotten them all if she could have – but the red was clearly the standout pair!
For her work pair, she also pair of Anne Et Valentin Cozak frames in a warm grey color wtih just a hint of pink at the temples. Did someone say, “sexy secretary”?!?
Tom’s prescription is strong, so he had difficulty see the glasses he was trying. As a result, our Specs Wrangler and Erin got to work and chose a couple of awesome frames for him. Once his lenses were in, he was thrilled with the end result!
He went home with a tortoise and blue Caroline Abram Joel frame that fits perfectly and complements his style perfectly.
And for work, he will be sporting a handsome pair of Anne Et Valentin Modern Time frames with an occupational lens. The occupational lenses allow Tom to see up to approximately ten feet, so he can read and see his computer monitor really well…..but when he needs to drive or see anything far away, he puts on his other pair:-)
We couldn’t love these two more and are sad that we won’t get to see them for another year.
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Theo
Happy Day to Customer of the Week…Phyllis!!!
Phyllis was getting too much attention in her limited edition kelly green Anne Et Valentin Sagan sunglass-turned-optical frame – not the WORST problem to have – so she came in to find something a little more understated…perhaps even “boring.” Our Queen of Specs, Alissa, took on the task and did her best to help out Phyllis by selecting an elegant Move frame by Theo in a soft blue that really complements Phyllis’ eyes and skin.
Unfortunately, Alissa’s attempt at choosing a boring frame wasn’t as successful as she thought, because Phyllis called us up the other day to tell us that she has been getting stopped on the street because of her newest frames too! People just won’t leave her alone! The nerve!
We love the new frames and think she looks amazing. If you want to go tell Phyllis how much you LOVE her glasses, you can find her being a rock star realtor at Baird & Warner, volunteering at PAWS or walking her three rescue dogs….
Next time Alissa will just have to try a little harder…or Phyllis just needs to get used to being a rock star 
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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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