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: 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: EVENTS!, Theo
Well, it’s about that time….Spring is finally here and the new Theo collection is on its way to Eye Spy!
Come and check out all of the new colors and styles on Saturday, April 18th from 11-5pm!
We can’t wait! We will have sangrias and snacks to assist you with decision-making…no hanger in here!!!!
In celebration of Earth Day, if you ride your bike to Eye Spy, we will be giving 10% off Rx lenses with the purchase of a frame from Eye Spy:-) In addition, we are working with Roscoe Village Bikes to properly fit your helmut from 11-12pm *and* West Town Bikes to give your bike a check-up for spring! Finally, if you recycle a pair of glasses with us that you purchased online, you will get $50 off Rx lenses One discount offer per customer, puhleeze.
Whoops, we almost forgot the best part of all!? We will have a Girl Scout Troop from Oscar Mayer Elementary School here selling Girls Scout COOKIES!!!! It might be your last chance of the season to scoop up some cookies! So…. come check out the new dreamy Theo’s and satisfy your sweet tooth!
See you Saturday, April 18th from 11-5pm!
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Francis Klein, Spectacular Sunglasses
This week is a little bit special because our Customer of The Week is someone who has been working for Eye Spy for 10 years! Say Hello to Karla!
Karla is always dressed for fun and when she saw the Francis Klein Royal sunnies, she had to catch her breath. And can you blame her? They must have been designed with Karla in mind! Karla will look great at all of her three (yes I said three!) jobs – a shoe store, a jewelry store and for us!
To say Karla is a bit of a fashionista is an understatement. She is a pro at mixing patterns, textures and colors… so what could be better than sunglasses with a dash of fun, a spinkle of sass and a heap of glitter!
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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: 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: 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!, 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: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Thierry Lasry
It’s Customer of the Week time again! Allow us to introduce you to our newest Eye Spy babe, CHARLENE! CHARLENE, is a friend of our book keeper Karla. Karla brought Charlene in and it was love at first sight with these Thierry Lasry Orgasmy frames!
Charlene can be found biking around town, with her little dog in the basket, you can’t see him but he’s real sweet! She also is the make-up guru boucing from show to show. Thanks for being such a blast Charlene! Take a peek at her frames up close and personal!
Take note of Charlene’s sweet bike!! She biked here as part of Bike Lakeview! Show up to particpating shops in Lakeview on your bike and wave your helmet at some one and get a discount! Its green, gets you outside and has some serious perks!
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