Tag Archives: funky eyeglasses

Filed under: Shop Local. Shop Lincoln

Shop Local. Shop Lincoln: Pleasure Chest!

Written by on December 13th 2015

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.

Sarah Sloane, Manager at Pleasure Chest

Sarah is wearing a rockin’ pair of Theo Cinquante+6 in a the most amazing blue-green teal color that really brings out her eyes.  Structured cat-eyes are the perfect eye wear choice for women who are tired of boring rectangles, but don’t really feel like themselves in a dramatic cat-eye.

PLEASURE CHEST_SARA

Sarah is the marvelous manager at the Pleasure Chest – a boutique erotic store that opened it’s first store in the West Village, NYC in 1971, the height of the sexual revolution.  It set itself apart from the rest of the erotic stores out there with a welcoming and classy atmosphere, it was definitely not your usual seedy “XXX” sex shop with covered windows and creepy sales people.  They quickly grew and expanded in gay neighborhoods in Chicago and LA.

PleasureChest3

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Fun Facts About Sarah:

How long have you been in business? 7 years

Who was your teenage celebrity crush? Sarah Michelle Geller

If you could be any animal, what would it be? Red-Tail Hawk

Are you right or left handed? Right handed

What color are your eyes? Blue

Where did you grow up? Lake Villa, IL 

What hood do you live in now? Logan Square

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As the manager, Sarah and her staff help people explore their sexuality and relationships in a healthy way. Their store is welcoming and beautifully decorated – often called the “Saks 5th Ave” of erotic stores, putting even new customers at ease. “They create a powerful experience and trust where individuals can be successful in finding out what works in their lives. All of the staff employed at The Pleasure Chest is trained to be sensitive to the needs of our guests, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.”

Pleasure Chest * 3436 N Lincoln Ave. Chicago IL 60657 * 773-525-7151

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Filed under: Shop Local. Shop Lincoln

Shop Local. Shop Lincoln: Sugar Fix Dental Loft!

Written by on December 13th 2015

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.

Jessica Emery, Owner and Dentist at Sugar Fix Dental Loft

Jessica is wearing a fab pair of Anne et Valentin Fanzine frames.  The bright yellow metal and marbled grey really pop on her and are both professional and fun – like Jessica!

SUGAR FIX_JESSICA

Jessica is the Dentist extraordinaire at Sugar Fix Dental Loft. She grew up with a Dentist mother and had a curiosity about dentistry that led to enrollment in dental hygiene school.  This led her to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine where she graduated and then working alongside her mother in Boston.  When Jessica came to Chicago, she fell in LOVE with the city and decided to make her dream come true by opening her own practice – the amazing space that is now Sugar Fix Dental Loft.

Sugarfix

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Fun Facts About Jessica:

How long have you been in business? 9 years

Who was your teenage celebrity crush? Jake Ryan

If you could be any animal, what would it be? Chameleon, so I can so up the sun on the beach

Are you right or left handed? Right handed

What color are your eyes? Hazel

Where did you grow up? Sutton, MA

What hood do you live in now? Evanston

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What sets Jessica’s practice apart from other dental offices is her true passion for smiles and her dedication to her patients.  As a mother of three, she cares for her patients like members of her own family. She treats only one patient at a time which allows her to focus fully on care an comfort of each client that walks through her door.

Sugar Fix Dental Loft * 3346 N Paulina St. Chicago Il 60657 *  773-883-1818

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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Unique Frame Lines

Customer Of The Week

Written by on November 27th 2015

Help welcome 0ur new Customer of the Week – Colleen!!!

COLLEEN_W

Colleen has been buying her glasses from Eye Spy since 2011 and has collected a diverse wardrobe of frames to adorn her face.

Colleen’s newest eyeglasses frame is a gorgeous Anne et Valentin Griffin frame in a beautiful turquoise and chocolate brown.  This frame is so great on her – it frames her eyes perfectly and the matte color is so rich and pretty.  The turquoise really makes her eyes pop and the brown brings some warmth to her complexion. AV GRIFFIN

Take a look at some of her other gorgeous glasses:

MODERN LOVE_M1412 - Google Chrome_2015-11-27_12-03-20

Anne et Valentin Modern Love

JULES by THEO eyewear - Google Chrome_2015-11-27_12-05-35

Theo Sixteen

Anne Et Valentin Fanzine

Anne et Valentin Fanzine

It is clear that Colleen likes to mix it up, switching between acetate and metal frames depending on her mood and her outfit for the day.  She also has a great selection of colors!  We think her newest frame brings a nice modern feeling to her collection.

 

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Filed under: NEWS!, Sabine Be., Unique Frame Lines

There’s A New Line We’d Like You To Meet!

Written by on November 13th 2015

We have some new frames to entice and delight you from a wonderful new (to us) designer. Let me introduce you to our newest collection of french eyeglasses, Sabine Be! But first, some background…

The Queen of Specs had been seeing photos of Sabine Be for a over a year….so, when she made her wishlist for the buying show in Paris, Sabine Be was at the top of the list! The Queen likes to carry independent, small, colorful lines that are designed by opticians. In addition, independent optical designers are so nice to work with…and the quality & workmanship is amazing.  Our appointment with Sabine Be was secured for the last day of the buying show. Each day that the Queen passed by the Sabine Be booth, she started drooling and the Specs Wrangler had to pull the Queen away!! Finally, the day arrived! And the clouds parted…..

sabinebecats

Are you in LOVE yet?  Everyone here at Eye Spy Optical have a bit of a crush, especially on this sassy little cat ear number.

Sabine grew up with a love of design, fashion and eyewear – both parents were involved in the optical world.  She knew she would grow up to be a designer of some sort.  So after years of work as an optician, Sabine started her own line of unique and colorful frames.

You may not know this but opticians make THE BEST eyewear designers. They pay attention to the little things –  what will fit well, what will look good, what will feel comfortable in a frame.  Sabine Be is comfortable and fun to wear.  She uses beautiful colors and pairs them with fun and easy to wear shapes.

sabinebe2

 

They are also beautifully made – Sabine has her frames made by hand at a small, well-known eyewear factory in France.  Detail and quality have served as her guides she has been recognized by the eyewear design world for her talents, she was recently nominated for the prestegious Grand Prix Silmo d’Or 2015 in Paris.

sabinebe_silmo

We have a great selection of Sabine Be’s women’s and men’s frames as well as some fantastic accessories. Consider yourself warned…you may squeal with delight when you see them. :)

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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Francis Klein

Customer Of The Week!

Written by on November 13th 2015

It is your favorite time of the week…yes, time to annouce our Customer Of The Week –  LaTonya!!!!

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LaTonya is like many women who come to Eye Spy. She has had a prescription for a while, she even has glasses, but she doesn’t really like to wear them. Over the last year she has noticed that she is straining her eyes and when she got her last eye exam, her doctor told her that she needs to wear her glasses all the time. This is NOT what LaTonya wanted to hear, but she decided that if she found some glasses that she LOVES she will wear them. She even decided that for her, it makes the most sense to get a couple of frames so that she can switch it up depending on her style.

With the help of our Design Mave, Sara, she decided on a pair – a gorgeous deep blue Wing frame by Francis Klein.

 

We know this isn't her exact frame...but Francis Klein frames are super customizable. You can choose your color, your decor style and your crystals!

We know this isn’t her exact frame…but Francis Klein frames are super customizable. You can choose your color, your decor style and your crystals!

We LOVE the way Wing fits LaTonya and how the color and pattern look with her complexion!  Wing has just the right amount of fun and funky and will go with almost everything in her wardrobe.

LaTonya looks fab in her new frame and now she will also be able to see! Win win!

 

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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Mykita, Non-Profit of the Month, SpexWax, Theo

Non-Profit Org of the Month!

Written by on November 6th 2015

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.

womenemployedWomen 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. 

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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:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • WE works with community colleges across Illinois to improve support services that help students stay in school and graduate.

 womenemployed1

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!

Learn more about them and ways that you can get involved by checking out their website and follow them on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest.

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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!, Mykita, SpexWax, Theo

November Trunk Shows!

Written by on October 28th 2015

2015 Nov Trunk Show Card_outline - Copy

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.KROMA_1555 -

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.Spexwax (@spexwax) • Instagram photos and videos - Google Chrome_2015-10-24_17-26-01

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.theo new

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?!MYKITA - FLORENTINE - Google Chrome_2015-10-24_17-25-14

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Filed under: EVENTS!

Sunglass Sale!!

Written by on August 20th 2015

2015_sunglass_saleWe are getting ready for our AUGUST SUNGLASS SALE, where, once a year we round up all of our sunglasses, and go a little bananas on the discounts. 

All sunglasses are on sale from the beginning to the very end of the month! Come by and take advantage of discounts from 10-50% off of almost every pair of sunglasses in the store. Yowza! Just to add to the crazy of the sale, we have also put a a few of our eyeglasses lines on sale for 25% to 75% off!

Come by and let us fit you with lovely sunnies to enjoy for the rest of the summer… and fall because we all know we will be outside as long as the weather allows!

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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Niloca, Theo

Customer Of The Week…Daily Double!

Written by on August 11th 2015

Help me welcome Robin to the Customer Of The Week Club!

ROBIN_O2 (2)

Robin’s first visit to Eye Spy Optical was a little bit strange…the Queen of Specs and the Optical Oracle were on at the shop and just moments before Robin stepped in the door, the power had all gone out. This did not deter Robin.  She had been sent by one of her fab friends to look at our unique frames and a little power outage wasn’t going to deter her.

She looked around for a bit, trying on frames in every color under the rainbow.  A Theo frame caught her eye…part of a limited edition of flourescent Mille specs…in bright blue and green.

I know this is purple...but you can imagine this in blue and green can't you?

I know this is purple…but you can imagine this in blue and green can’t you?

Robin loves color and accessories, so she also wanted to look for something she could wear with her jewel-tone outfits.  She tried on Niloca’s Fermie frame and knew she had found her frame-charming. The kalaidesope of amethyst, garnet and carnelian colors was gorgeous with her coloring and would match her hats!

ROBIN_O2 (1)

So it was settled…Theo and Niloca frames in gorgeous limited edition colors were going home with her.

We love Robin’s bold choices and think she looks beautiful in both of her new specs!

 

 

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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, Theo

Customer Of The Week…

Written by on July 21st 2015

Tip your hats to our elegant Customer Of The Week Deanna!!!

DEANNA_A

Deanna came in after seeing her friend wearing a fabulous pair of glasses from Eye Spy. She wanted a new frame -something bold and colorful – and you know she came to the right place. Patsy, our Specs Wrangler, helped her try on several fun frames. Deanna almost walked out the door in a pair of Rapp cat-eyes, but a very special Theo caught her eye… and she absolutely HAD to have it!

THEO O

The O by Theo is a frame that is bold and beautiful, but also has a sense of humor. We think that it looks striking on Deanna.  Her silver hair and porcelain skin make this frame POP and the fit is nothing but perfect.

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