Founded in 1833, American Optical created many popular eyewear designs still worn today. The company now makes its glasses in Chicago.
In the 1950s and 1960s, American Optical was the largest eyeglasses company in the world. It employed more than 6,000 people at its Southbridge, Mass. headquarters and offices around the world.
But in the latter years of the 20th century, the vertically enhanced American company began selling off its divisions and assets, until it became a small manufacturer of its own historic sunglasses line of eyewear.
Then in 1998, Alan McKinley, the president of American Optical, decided to purchase the remaining sunglasses portion of the business and bring manufacturing back from China to its original home in Southbridge.
McKinley was able to restore the quality from which American Optical was known, and eventually decided to sell the company to Europa Eyewear, an independent wholesaler headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois.
American Optical, now under the umbrella of Europa Eyewear, conducted a major reboot in 2019 when all manufacturing was transferred to a new factory near Chicago.
The new, revitalized American Optical is a 2024 Made in America Holiday Gift Guide selection, a perfect pick for shade-wearing family members and friends.
Indeed, a pair of plastic sunglasses would make a fine stocking stuffer on Christmas morning, but American Optical glasses are more of a high-end gift that requires individual wrapping with a bow on top for the recipient. After all, you would not stuff a stocking with a Rolex watch.
Scott Shapiro, the executive director of American Optical, guided the pairing of Europa Eyewear plastic glasses frames with the metal frame production from the original American Optical Eyewear company.
“My family has been in the optical and eyewear business since 1977 selling eyeglass frames to optometry offices across the country, mostly independent retailers,” Shapiro said. “In 2014, we built our own factory because it was so rare for eyewear to be made in the United States.
“We wanted to have a differentiator for our business that we believed Americans could craft eyewear – not for as cheaply as China could, we knew that – but we could make them just as high in quality in the U.S. as what was made in Italy, France or Japan.”
Approximately 80% of all global eyeglass frames are made in China by the conglomerate EssilorLuxottica. Popular brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Armani, Ralph Lauren, and many popular chain-store retailers are owned by EssilorLuxottica.
“We discussed buying what was left of American Optical and bringing the manufacturing here to Chicago so that we could combine the metal manufacturing with the acetate, or plastic, manufacturing,” Shapiro said. “So, we did that in 2019, and we’ve made a major investment in building that brand back because we take such pride in making our eyewear here in the United States. We thought American Optical, and its history was the perfect match for us.
“Today we make both American Optical eyeglasses and sunglasses and we make those same styles that have been the heart of American history for almost 100 years now. Just as an example, our original pilot style was worn by fighter pilots in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. It was worn by Robert DeNiro in the movie Taxi Driver and countless celebrities like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and of course the iconic metal pairs are very common for pilots.”
The top-quality sunglasses have also been a huge hit with American presidents.
The Saratoga style of plastic sunglasses was often seen adorning President John F. Kennedy, who spent many hours sailing and campaigning under the summer sun.
“Kennedy was, of course, from Massachusetts and so he was a regular and loyal customer of American Optical and was often seen wearing those Saratoga sunglasses,” Shapiro said.
Even though President Lyndon Johnson and Black activist Malcolm X viewed the American civil rights movement through a different lens, both men sported the American Optical Sirmont style glasses. President Dwight Eisenhower wore them, too.
“There is just so much history,” Shapiro said. “I like to say the history of American Optical is the history of America. If you follow that timeline, it’s amazing how much of American history follows.”
There are approximately 20 different styles of the original American Optical sunglasses for sale at boutiques and menswear stores and also on the company website. Rush orders are available if placed before Saturday, Dec. 21. Sunglasses are available for $210 or $220 dollars each. The website has a camera so that you can see yourself on the video with any pair of the sunglasses superimposed on your face.
American Optical frames for prescription glasses can be found at more than 1,000 retail optical shops and optometry offices, where you can also get you prescription lenses for the glasses. Many of these frames fall under the brand name of STATE with some composed of parts sourced from Japan. You can easily find a store near you by visiting the www.europaeye.com website and typing in your zip code.