Eye Want

Who ever wrote that last review was most likely one of the angry stroller pushing chocolate lab having yuppies that have invaded the area. I took away one of the stars on the rating because if you go to that hood, your going to have to deal with people like that- and lack of parking. If your looking for a great unique frame this is the place. The woman behind the counter has great taste. And she is very well informed. The cost of the frames are higher but your also looking at frames that are hand crafted by an 80 year old french designer who hand picked the Swarovski crystals. Your never going to walk into some one who is wearing the same frame. I couldn't be happier with my new glasses. I know i paid a lot for them... but they are as unique as ME and well worth every penny! :)

For starters, I felt like i was walking down the halloween aisle in Walgreens when I walked through the door. I know it's October right now, but the place always looks like this - tacky. Secondly, the woman who helped me was pretentious, and might has well have been dressed for halloween. Whatever takes the focus off of your face, right? While some of the eyewear I saw was very nice, I cannot say that it is any nicer than something you might find at your every day sunglass shop - just brighter colors, and higher prices. If you're looking for eyewear that is different just for the sake of being different... this is your place. If you want good service, a nice atmosphere, and eyewear that suits people outside of the circus ring, go anywhere else.

The Scene This expansive eyewear boutique feels like a chic urban lounge. Piped-in clubby music, wild purple walls (check out the Twister board above the register) and fun deco items (like a huge, fuzzy shoe chair) make you momentarily forget that you are here to tend to your vision problems. Each line of eyeglasses is displayed in its own antique-looking case. Exams can be arranged with the in-house optometrist. The Goods Eye Want focuses on all the fashion-forward lines; you'll find super-cool labels like Oliver Peoples and Think, as well as French designers LaFonte Paris and the hard-to-find Anne et Valentin. Most plastic frames are reasonably priced, while upscale metal designs can reach $500 (think a wiry John Lennon-style frame from Lasor). Conservative shoppers find enough basic black and brown, while adventurous four-eyes flock to its huge selection of bright, colored frames in all shapes and sizes.

I've purchased 5-6 pairs of eyeglasses from Eye Want due to their location and selection. While Annette can be helpful, she also can be rude and come off as arrogant. I've heard her on phone calls be very short with people. Like the other review said, it's almost like you need to be 'cool' or 'hip' enough for her to want to enthusiastically help you. I certainly have never been offered a beverage of any kind, even after being her customer for several years. I've had to remind her who I am on each visit. To be fair, she has helped me pick out frames and spent time with me. I just think that she needs to soften her approach and be more approachable herself. It's not possible for everyone to be as hip or cool as she'd like them to be, I'd encourage her to not be so judgemental. I've given her good business and would have expected to be treated a bit better.

OK, granted, it was a couple of years ago, but Annette (the boss) was very co-operative and helpful. She offered me a beer as I walked in (!). I assume she eyeballs you to see what kind of person you are and offers you what she assumes is appropriate. I was casually dressed that day (it was really hot out), so I guess beer was the right thing. She made me a pair of custom clip ons for my LaFont (there's no e on the end) glasses (which I had recently bought in Paris) and sent them to me in Germany via post. They weren't cheap, but I couldn't get them anywhere else and I wasn't looking for cheap anyway. I'll be in Chicago again in a couple of weeks and will drop by to get another pair of clip ons (I broke the original ones skiing). And maybe a new pair of LaFonts, if she has the model I want. If you want cool glasses in Chicago, definitely check this place out.

Upon entering Eye Want, I was greeted with a glass of champange and truffles! More importantly, however, I was assisted by a knowledgable and honest employee named Phillip who worked with me for an hour to find the perfect frames. He was hilarious and honest, never pushy about purchasing. This establishment is FUN, offers a huge variety of quality frames (especially for this picky customer), and will be reccommended by me for years to come!

The owner of this shop is just so incredibly rude... The doctors and other employees are great, but she (the owner) is awful. She's usually out front, so dealing with her is almost unavoidable. She will ignore customers - i.e., making them wait while she's having a personal conversation, is curt on the phone and generally acts like it's a bother for you to spend money at her shop. I had thought that my not-so-great experiences there weren't standard, but when I told my new eye doctor that I'd gone to Eye Want in the past, he indicated that he has patients who have had similar experiences to mine.