Alexander Daas Eyewear and Opticians
Del Mar, CA
Owner Alex Feldman, a second-generation optician, spent his childhood learning optics. He became a licensed optician early on and after college began managing the family store, eventually taking over the business and creating a very specific experience. The new Alexander Daas Del Mar location is just blocks from the beach, serving global travelers that call the town a second home. Designed to evoke a coastal beachy-feel experience, the shop features light wood, black accents, a black surfboard, and calming ocean photography, with natural light beaming throughout the store.
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BeSpoke Vision
Edmond, OK
In 2014, Dr. Selina McGee bought Olsen Eye Care and launched Precision Vision Edmond. In 2019, as plans for a new building were drafted, she saw an opportunity to change the name and logo to better embody the culture and the quality she strives for. In 2021, after years of planning, BeSpoke officially opened its doors to the public. Precision Vision of Edmond (a 2016 America’s Finest) is now BeSpoke Vision. Built to look like a house you would want to live in, and not a doctor’s office, it’s a destination with all the creature comforts of home: comfy couches, a loaded beverage station, and a communal table for playing games and talking to your neighbor.
Eyes on Hudson
Dobbs Ferry, NY
Owners Katelyn Rogerson and her husband, Jonathan White, met at a party at an optical shop 13 years ago. Katelyn, an optometrist, and Jonathan, a tech industry guy, created the idea for Eyes on Hudson — a tech-forward optometry practice and optical shop rooted in Hudson Valley beauty and showcasing the best in contemporary independent eyewear design. They are a stone’s throw away from the Hudson River, and everything is inspired by their location. The colors, the textures, the elements such as deep blues, reclaimed wood, and industrial metals are all meant to be evocative of the region and its history. Their combined skill sets, passions, and their love of the Hudson Valley have led to a modern, independent optical retail destination.
Anthony Aiden Opticians
New York, NY
In 1989, Anthony Aiden opened his eponymous shop in the East Village, which was considered to be one of the very first high-end boutiques to bring eyeglasses to the forefront of fashion. Known for elaborate window displays poking fun at anything — from politics to religion to current events — he uses his plate glass window as his forum and has fun doing it. The design of the shop, with its post-apocalyptic vibe, still keeps customers and designers in awe. Inspired by the old-world charm of the Lower East Side while maximizing the lack of square footage in NYC real estate, the shop is more gallery than typical optical and is known as a neighborhood hang-out with a friendly staff who sometimes console the inconsolable or offer eyewear advice to those in need.
eyeSMILE Vision + Dental
Hays, KS
As young newlyweds in professional school in Houston, Drs. Stacey (OD) and Jarrod Jones (DDS) always had a vision to combine their optometry and dental practices. Their dream became a reality in 2019 with eyeSMILE. In 2017, they fell in love with a dilapidated gas station in the beautiful Historic Chestnut Street District along Main Street in their small town of Hays, KS. Built in the 1930s, the mission-style building was originally Nep’s Super Service Station, and the couple kept in mind the legacy of a full-service gas station when creating a space where their patients could experience small-town hospitality coupled with the look and feel of something more urban.
Haywood Family Eye Care
Waynesville, NC
Haywood Family Eye Care was established in 1955 and today is owned by Dr. Aimée McBride, valedictorian of the UABSO class of 2012, and Dr. Tommy Pinkston, a fellow UABSO 2012 graduate. For more than 60 years Haywood Family Eye Care had been located on Main Street in historic downtown Waynesville, NC, but in 2020, right before COVID, they purchased a new building. They finally moved in October 2021. Today, the two owners and associate Dr. Lora Cretella create a patient experience that rivals any experience in the country by focusing on providing high quality eyecare with a unique, detail-oriented approach.
First Class Eye Care
Duluth, GA
In December 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, husband and wife duo Drs. Adam Young and Christina Phan joined their experiences and dreams to start a new venture. First Class Eye Care opened its doors to the community as a minority-owned private eyecare practice with a mission to provide first class service. Located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, the most diverse county in the southeast US, one of its goals was to settle in an area where patients could have doctors who look like them. They provide a patient-focused experience with emphasis on improving the quality of life and overall health through education, prevention and early detection.
Ridgeview Eye Care
Olathe, KS
In June 2008, Drs. Trent Henderson and Jacob Letourneau opened their cold start practice — Ridgeview Eye Care — in a 1,500 square foot strip mall space in Northwest Olathe, KS, a suburb of Kansas City, during a recession. They vowed to follow their vision of creating raving fans with an unmatched eyecare experience. In 2019, after 11 years of growth and researching ways to expand on their vision, they opened their new office combining a world class hospitality experience with eyecare. The design — influenced by the Apple Store and boutique hotels — is centered around the patient experience, their perceptions, senses, convenience, and unspoken wants.
Full Circle Vision Care
Midland, MI
Originally founded in the 1960s, Full Circle Vision Care (formally Midland Eye Associates) has had a history of caring for its patients’ “whole eye health” and going above and beyond what many practices require. Currently owned by Drs. Paul Kimball and Carl Erickson, the updated Full Circle Vision Care building pays tribute to the history of Midland and the surrounding area. They’ve kept the mid-century modern feel that is so popular in the Midland area and have put their own spin on it by mixing in industrial elements, cool lighting, a beautiful optical lounge, and fun patterns throughout the space.