FOUND
PHOTOGRAPH: COYOTE DeGROOT34 CHICAGO | SEPTEMBER 2019 Illustration by JOHN KENZIE
Optical Art
STORE SCANNER
2EYE WANT
1726 W.
Chicago Ave.Perfect for The
nonconformist
The goods You
won’t find brand
names at this quirky
East Ukrainian
Village shop, which
stocks never-been-
worn vintage frames
of the last seven
decades. Owner
Annette Sollars, a
self-described “eye-
wear dominatrix,”
is merciless in her
dedication to help-
ing customers. “I
am whipping frames
into abject subser-
vience to serve my
customers’ every
whim and desire,”
she says, “no
matter how glitzy,
gritty, salacious,
or ascetic.”
Expect to spend
$75 to $20,0003CONTACTS
AND SPECS
3123 N. Broadway;
2644 N. Milwaukee
Ave.Perfect for The
suave sophisticate
The goods This
Chicago fixture
prides itself on find-
ing small, artisanal
collections. “We
have everything
from the low-key to
the sublimely ridicu-
lous,” says manager
Jimmy Gilliland.
The stores are
tailored to their
respective neigh-
borhoods: In Logan
Square, au courant
specs perch on
repurposed skate-
boards, while the
Boystown site spot-
lights specimens
like camo spec-
tacles with safety-
orange temples.
Expect to spend
$250 to $22,0001LAB RABBIT
OPTICS
1104 N. Ashland Ave.
Perfect for The
pragmatic hipster
The goods Coyote
DeGroot’s one-
man operation is as
memorable as his
name: Decorated
with animal skulls
and taxidermied
frogs, this East
Ukrainian Village
business features
handmade collec-
tions made in small
batches, includ-
ing DeGroot’s own
Japan-manufactured
designs. His taste
leans simple and
versatile, but there’s
still magic in the
details, like frames
that incorporate lam-
inated bird feathers.
Expect to spend
$230 to $670
4AARDVARK
EYEWEAR
2456 N.
Western Ave.Perfect for Your
little one
The goods This
unassuming Logan
Square building is
home to the city’s
only spectacles shop
dedicated to young-
sters, from infants to
teens (petite-faced
adults are welcome,
too). Find a diverse
roster of kid-
approved names
like Tony Hawk,
Hello Kitty, and Nike
aimed to excite
pintsize customers.
Onsite opticians cus-
tom-fit frames and
teach the prescrip-
tion lens rules (no
letting friends
try them on!) for
first-time wearers.
Expect to spend
$75 to $290These boutiques will expand your vision
of what eyewear can be. By CLAIRE VOON
Sell Your
Stuff Online
EXPERT: Bill Rawski, owner
of Zap Props, the Midwest’s
largest prop house, and prolific
web salesman — CL AIRE VOONQPRIORITIZE PICS
“Photos are the most important
aspect, especially ones that
point out any flaws in the item.
Be honest — otherwise you’ll
get called out.”QANTICIPATE HAGGLERS
“Look up the price for a
comparable item in a verified
sale, and once you decide
what you want to settle for,
list it for 10 percent more.”QPOST PRUDENTLY
“Craigslist and Etsy are your
best bets. I wouldn’t recommend
eBay because there are too
many people who say they’ll buy
something and then don’t.”QTELL AN ITEM’S STORY
“What are you going to look at:
‘Barber chair for sale’ or ‘Barber
chair for sale from the Oak Park
shop run by Joe Capini’?”QBUNDLE UP
“It’s easier to sell multiple items
at once rather than put out sep-
arate ads. A big list will attract
people. You get more bang for
your effort.”HOW TO ...