FINE-ALIST

Eye Q Optical

With a name that evokes brainpower, Eye Q Optical has proven resilient and inventive in navigating the sweeping change the optical world has seen since the shop’s opening on Harvard Square 16 years ago. Founded with the now-cool concept of “retail-tainment,” Eye Q has steadily changed with — and usually ahead of — the times. First, Eye Q created its own line of eyewear well before other shops. More recently, the focus has been on discovering the best luxury lines for customers. “The journey is the destination, which is what we strive to be: destination eyewear,” says owner Dr. David Luria.

5 COOL THINGS ABOUT Eye Q Optical

1. DIY: Eye Q got into designing its own frames in 2001 when some of its favorite small indie lines became unavailable. The business now offers seven house collections, and a new line of titanium frames is coming this fall.

2. Two locations: In addition to its original shop in Cambridge, Eye Q has a shop in Jamaica Plain, MA, where it recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with $10 Rx lenses.

3. Leading edge: Eye Q says it was the first U.S. shop to introduce Hapter, an Italian brand inspired by a pair of World War II military goggles found in 2009. The business was also an early adopter of Essilor’s VisiOffice measuring system.

4. Reinvention and renovation: Eye Q has remodeled its Cambridge shop three times in 16 years, most recently this year. Onega Astaltsova notes how the choice of interior colors and a big mirror give the illusion of a larger space.

5. CUSTOMERS FIRST: “I get the feeling that their attitude toward their clientele is what makes them very successful,” Robert Bell wrote. “To me, that’s 80 percent of the battle.”

PHOTO GALLERY / Eye Q Optical

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