Tag: frames

Face a Face Paris Trunk Show April 12th!

trunk show face a face paris frames eyeglasses eye glasses Bellingham, WA

You are invited to the Face a Face Paris Trunk Show!

We are so excited to welcome back to the office our Face a Face company representative Dustin, who will bring with him all the latest styles from this outstanding eye glasses frame line! You are invited to make an appointment for an exclusive showing by emailing our office manager Calana at calana@binyonvision.com or stop in to browse between 10:00 – 4:00 pm. There will be snacks, trunk show specials and entry opportunities to our annual Customer Appreciation month raffle (info about last year’s raffle here)!

Also introducing – Nifties Eyewear!

In addition to presenting the Face a Face Paris collection, we are so excited to announce we will be launching a new line of petite eyewear at this event! Nifties specializes in high fashion frames in smaller sizes (eyesize 44-49). It’s a common observation from our more petite patients that they wish there were more options that fit them- and we’re excited to be able to provide a wonderful line that will fit this need!

Stop by April 12th and bring a friend! It’s a great time to find your next pair of glasses!

Feb31st Frames Sale in February!

feb31st eye glasses frame sale february 2024 binyon vision center bellingham

Each of these Feb31st frames were custom designed by their wearer! We’re extending that opportunity to you for the month of February with a 31% discount! (See what we did there?). There’s never been a better time to design a frame unique to you- a true reflection of your style and personality! Stop in or give us a call to schedule time with an optician to talk about your custom Feb31st!

See more information about the Feb31st eye glasses frame line in our recent blog post here and on their website here!

Feb31st Wood Glasses

I’ll never forget when one of our opticians at the time, Christie, returned from a Vision Expo conference in 2013 and said- “You won’t believe these wood glasses. There’s an Italian company that figured out how to put prescription lenses in wood glasses and they custom make every frame with wood layers and you pick the colors. We could be one of the first in the United States to carry this line.”

Looking down on the layers of wood that will be manufactured into glasses fronts – from feb31st.it

Ten years later… a rough count of shops on the www.feb31st.it website shows over 130 stores in the United States and a few hundred Binyon patients have worn or do wear Feb31st frames.

John designed these color-blocked green and black and white patterened wood frames himself.

Bespoke Eyewear – manufactured to order!

In addition to a cool concept – a design that allows for manufacturing a one-off custom pair of prescription wood glasses, this company is always innovating. They’ve created a more robust product over the years by changing hinge designs and reinforcing the layers of wood. Many new wood finishes and material combinations have also been introduced into the product line, allowing for infinite customization possibilities. One of the most unique and rewarding features is the custom engraving possibilities on the temples of the frames. Dates, initials, symbols are all examples of amazing designs we’ve seen created on the wood glasses.

Another custom design- note the patient provided a drawing for the custom engraving inside the temple.
Wood chip color swatches

Sustainable manufacturing from tree to glasses

In addition to the uniqueness of design and manufacturing, we want to highlight another vital part of this company – it’s dedication to sustainability and eco-friendly practices. All wood is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified for being sustainably forested. Every frame produced is made to order therefore eliminating waste in stocked inventory. There is also an opportunity to use a wood from fallen trees, mostly from unusual hurricane force winds that hit the Northern Italian Alps in October 2018. If there is an opportunity to improve sustainability or manufacture in a more eco-friendly way, this company will act.

Trees fallen during the October 2018 storm in Northern Italy – from www.feb31st.it
Frames manufactured from the wood of the fallen trees from the storm – from www.feb31st.it

Feb31st at Binyon Vision Center today

Over the years, the Binyon team has loved designing Feb31st frames for our inventory and has held design appointments on special days with our patients interested in designing their own pair. With a variety of shapes, so many colors and size possibilities the customization options are endless. In addition, some of the frame models in the EVO line incorporate metal, which comes in many colors for a unique spin on the wood glasses- plus the engraving option mentioned above. This design your own eyewear option that this unique made to order company provides through it’s wood glasses is amazing. Another important benefit of Feb31st eyewear is they are very light and comfortable to wear. For some of us four-eyes, these are our most comfortable pair of glasses. We had a patient who was very sensitive to metals and plastics and found these to be the only glasses she could wear! Here are a few of our other favorite Feb31st designs. We hope to see you in the office soon to design your own!

Please note – our next opportunity to design a pair of Feb31st glasses is October 19th, 2023 – email calana@binyonvision.com to schedule an appointment!

Opticians In Training – Part 2

Heather, David and Jordan never have fun on the optician training journey

Becoming an optician is a combination of on the job training and study. Our new opticians learn about visual disorders, the physics of lenses and the variety of progressive lens designs from texts and webinars at the same time as they work with patients and apply this knowledge. The combined approach is really important and results in a lot of “a-ha!” moments. The opticians in training listen to a patient’s past experience and might be able to solve problems because of a webinar on freeform progressive lenses. It is great to watch this new crew learn on the way to becoming highly trained professional opticians!

Jordan measures the optical center height for a single-vision patient.
Jordan and David discuss lens options with a patient

Heather listens to a patient’s thoughts on frame options

We are thankful for many wonderful resources the opticians in training are using including:

ECP Advantage from Walman Optical – on demand and live webinars from the optician training department at Walman Optical.

Optician Works – training videos from Laramy K Optical Lab.

Our product partners including Lauren from Shamir, Addie from l.a. Eyeworks and Feb31st eyewear, Ciara from Lafont, and many more!

The part-time veteran opticians who provide in person training a few times each week – Jill and Margaret!

With strong attention to detail, a desire to learn, and a natural focus on problem-solving customer service – our three new opticians are in just a few months becoming amazing opticians. Becoming a licensed optician is a three year process. The requirements include 6,000 hours of job hours and passing two board certification tests, ABO and NCLE*. We’re excited to support the opticians in training in this goal as they help patients achieve the best vision in their glasses on the way!

*American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examination

Glasses of Binyon – Michelle Grandy – Seeing with Style

“I’ve always thought that if you have to wear glasses you should go big and choose beautiful, fun, or funky ones. You can’t hide them so why not show them off,”

Meet Michelle!

anne et valentin, michelle grandy in glasses and bike, happy binyon patient

She has been a fellow four-eyed friend since the seventh grade. Her mom always made sure that she had cool glasses, so she’s been keen on stylish specs since she was a kiddo.

“I’ve always thought that if you have to wear glasses you should go big and choose beautiful, fun, or funky ones. You can’t hide them so why not show them off,” she remarks.

This sentiment is reflected in Michelle’s frames of choice at Binyon. Sporting the ever-present and spunky Anne at Valentin or her favorite cat eye Lafont frames, Michelle can be spotted receiving compliments all around town. With a prescription as strong as hers, Michelle delights in the opportunity to wear contacts as well as the prospect of corrective surgery. However, she revels in what her frames can offer her, too. As an introvert, she has been given many opportunities to meet people she otherwise would not have.

anne et valentin, michelle grandy in glasses and bike, happy binyon patient

“I get compliments about my glasses all the time from all different kinds of people. I’m introverted so don’t often go out of my way to make connections with strangers. The compliments are a sweet way to connect with a person I may not have chatted with otherwise. The compliments also make me feel like I’ve made the right choice in the frames I’ve chosen. Sometimes I second guess myself and then the first time someone tells me they like my glasses I know the choice was a good one.”

Michelle is a loyal Binyonite, and we couldn’t be happier to continue working with her. Describing her relationship with her glasses in five words or less, Michelle states, “they make me look good!”

anne et valentin, michelle grandy in glasses and bike, happy binyon patient

Thank you for choosing us, Michelle, and you look fantastic!

Other Glasses of Binyon stories:
Lloyd Christensen
Andy Thom
Emily Ufkes
Susan Johnston
Clark Family

Link to our frame lines:
Frames

Glasses of Binyon – Susan Johnston

A story of long-term community connections

When the kids and I walked into Galbraith Mountain Pediatric Dentistry office for the first time, I was understandably nervous.  The three year old wore her tiara and lugged along her stuffed elephant (named Sugar- great choice for going to the dentist) and the one year old is always unpredictable, because he’s one.  As new patients we were brought into a big room with an exam chair, and several bins of toys – mostly stuffed animals all outfitted with huge sets of teeth and giant toothbrushes.  A woman with cute glasses and a kind face entered the room and introduced herself as Susan, the dental assistant who would help us out on our first visit.

I noticed her glasses right away

pediatric dental assistant wearing anne et valentin glasses photography by Katheryn Moran Photography

Susan made sure the kids knew they could play with the toys in the room and explained this first visit is all about making sure they feel comfortable.

We sat down to look over the paperwork I filled out.  I answered a few questions then she said- “Oh! I see you work at Binyon, I’ve been seeing Mark for years!” (True story – I found her initial patient paperwork dated April 1992.)

“I wondered!” I answered, “I recognized your Lafont frames!  And these are Mark’s grandkids!”

“Too funny!” she replied, “That must make you Caitlin, I’ve known you since you were a kid!”  Before Susan worked at Galbraith, she worked for Dr. Richard Todd’s office where I’d been a patient growing up.  My memory went back to a tall, energetic woman with short brown hair that would call us back to the exam rooms and we laughed at the connection in our small Bellingham world.  Her hair is a beautiful silver now and her energy and smile are just as I remember.

Then it was her turn to come to the doctor!

pediatric dental assistant wearing anne et valentin glasses photography by Katheryn Moran Photography

A few months after our re-acquaintance at the dentist, Susan came in for her eye exam and was planning on updating the lenses into her current Lafont frames to her new prescription.

“You know I love fun glasses… Do you have anything new?” she asked.  I couldn’t wait to show her the new Anne et Valentin collection – bold looks with many petite options that I knew fit her style perfectly.  I grabbed a light pink frame and said, “This one.”  She put it on… and couldn’t take it off.  “Yes- this one.”

pediatric dental assistant wearing anne et valentin glasses photography by Katheryn Moran Photography

Later we came to photograph Susan in her element- helping kids at the dentist.  She explained she doesn’t always wear these new frames to work – she had a collision with another employee a few months ago which sent her glasses flying and we ended up repairing a broken temple.  She has several pairs of fun glasses and she tells me, “If you have to wear glasses, make it a part of your wardrobe! You need different frames and lenses for different needs and outfits.”

pediatric dental assistant wearing anne et valentin glasses photography by Katheryn Moran Photography

Susan and her fun glasses collection help to brighten kids’ day at Galbraith Mountain Pediatric Dentistry.  Thank you Susan, for taking part in our Glasses of Binyon feature and thank you to Katheryn Moran of Katheryn Moran Photography for the wonderful portraits.

 

Anne et Valentin Trunk Show

November 14th ♥ 10am – 4pm

Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show

Join us and fall in love with your new frames.  The most stunning, thoughtful, provoking eyewear collection you will ever see.  A masterful designer influenced by Pop Art, the Beat generation and Art Deco married an optician with an exceptional attention to detail and passion for quality and the result is Anne et Valentin eyewear.  It’s a true love story and we can’t wait to share the passion behind this beautiful, handmade eyewear.

For a preview – please visit Anne et Valentin.

Tuesday, November 14th – 10am – 4pm.

To RSVP and have a day-of reminder – click “Going” or “Interested” on the Facebook event site HERE.