It’s been a busy spring here at the shop, and we’re finally getting caught up with work…time to celebrate! We request the pleasure of your company at our 2nd Annual Open House event this Saturday.

In addition to its commercial function, the Labrabbit space also serves as a creative platform, as our window space is transformed in the latest in a series of forward-thinking installations. This time around we present “Hacked Memories,” an interactive media experience by Maria Tzeka. We don’t want to spoil the surprise, but the image above might give you a clue.

And what’s a party without food? For this event we move the snacking experience from the shop to the street, as we welcome the Tamalli Space Charros and their food truck/spaceship. As explained by their website, “TAMALLI SPACE CHARROS COLLECTIVE (TSCC) is a mobile tamaleria project inspired by Mexico’s ‘stridentist movement’, and Mexican wrestling sci-fi films. TSCC brings multimedia art and Mexican cuisine into an arena where boundaries will be crossed to explore and reinvent the Chicago food scene and through a social network.” Be sure to check out their website at http://tamallispacecharros.blogspot.com/

Finally, enjoy 30% off our entire stock of ophthalmic frames and sunglasses. See you Saturday!

(P.S. There will be a keg of Daisy Cutter on hand.)

Also, be sure to vote for us in the Chicago Reader’s “Best of 2012″ poll!  Last year we were voted #1 in the city, let’s see if we can do it again.  We work hard to bring the best vintage and contemporary eyeglasses to Wicker Park, but the competition is fierce!  Thanks for your continued support, and especially for supporting a local business.

Here are another four selections from our current stock of  Lunettes Kollektion frames.  Each is available in multiple colors, so if you’re not seeing the color you’re looking for, let us know.  We’re always happy to special order eyeglasses, even if you just want to try them on.  Many online eyewear retailers utilize “virtual try-on” applications, to disappointing effect; we believe strongly in always trying out the real thing.

We’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our brand family: Lunettes Kollektion.  The private label of a small family of eyewear shops in Berlin, the brand is both vintage-inspired and contemporary.  The majority of the frames feature riveted hinges, an older style of temple attachment that results in a significantly stronger joint; the rivets may be clearly seen passing through the acetate.  While many vintage frames were smaller in size as a way of reducing weight (mineral glass lenses were far heavier and thicker than the high-index resins we use today), the Lunettes Kollektion frames feature retro shapes in larger, more stylish eyesizes.  Pictured here are four of the shapes we currently stock, but we have many more at our shop in Wicker Park.  We’ll post more of those later in the week.

We’re huge proponents of polarized sun lenses here at the shop; they’re far more efficient at reducing glare than traditional tinted lenses, resulting in clearer, safer vision.  Xperio just sent us a sample book this week, and we’re excited to share their expansive selection of polarized lenses with you.  Just keep in mind that the lighter the polarized filter, the less of an effect it will have on incoming light.  Drop by the shop and we’ll be happy to give you a demonstration!