Hey, four-eyes! What are you looking at? Oh, new glasses, you say. Fair enough: Eyewear is an important decision; it’s an accessory that will likely define what people think and feel about you more than any other piece of clothing or jewelry you sport. You’re going to want expert advice and choice selection. Fortunately, Calgary has a number of great frame shops.
Eyeclectic Eyewear
You won’t just see tons of hard-to-find frames lining Eyeclectic’s walls: You’ll have your pick at a large selection of glasses impossible to get anywhere else. In addition to the store’s massive stock of carefully selected frames from well-known and boutique designers (as far away as Germany, Japan, France and Sweden), Eyeclectic’s team strikes deals with eyewear artists to create exclusive lines for each of its five locations — like their Willow Park store’s recent partnership with the U.K.’s chi-chi Tom Davies. #119 751 3 St. S.W., 1116 Kensington Rd. N.W., and three other locations
+ma
The +ma showroom is ultra-modern and makes viewing and selecting specs an uncluttered experience. All the coolest brands are here — Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Ray Ban, Barton Perreira, to name just a few — and the staff seems beyond dedicated to giving clients classy and unique looks. #122, 1111 6 Ave. S.W.
Brass Monocle
Gary Hapton opened one of the first eyewear stores in Calgary: the original Brass Monocle location, on 17 Ave. S.W. in 1980, which focused on providing customers with non-traditional and expressive looks. Since then, Brass Monocle has become the go-to spot for great frames in the city, and Calgarians consistently vote it as their favourite place to buy glasses. The success story continues with a second location, recently opened in the downtown core. 806 16 Ave S.W., #213, 715 3 St. S.W.
Browz Eyewear
Like the other stores mentioned here, Browz boasts an enormous selection and its eyewear stylists are friendly and willing to spend as long as it takes to find that one special frame. Partnered with Progressive Optometry and offering five locations (including a shop in Airdrie), Browz is a great all-in-one option. #5, 1010 1 Ave. N.E., #76, 4307 130 Ave. S.E., and three other locations.
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Image courtesy of Dickuhne.
