The EOF gang behind the coveted vinyl section of KEXP’s comprehensive music library. For many years, Eyes on Fremont has been a proud supporter and underwriter of Seattle’s independent, listener powered radio station, KEXP. Now in their new, much-expanded studio facility, we were invited to check out what happens behind the airwaves.
Check out a few highlights from the tour our EOF gang was invited to do with Carol Dupuis and seasoned volunteer, Ken:
An original studio keepsake of sorts: This original Nirvana “Nevermind” album secures fond memories with it’s entertaining footnotes by the DJs playing it when the album released, way back in the station’s KCMUdays. It earned critical acclaim & heavy rotation stats by the these resident DJs before it made international record sales.
DJ Quilty 3000 on the air yesterday, taking a moment to explain the back scene DJ process… She’s been a resident DJ since 2003 (and a longtime EOF customer)!
Our tour guides and the EOF staff in the new live studio showroom. Thanks, Carol (third from left) and Ken (2nd from rt) showing us around the coolest radio station ever!
To learn more about KEXP, listen online, find out about studio tours/events, become a member, and receive discounts (we offer a KEXP discount for glasses!) and otherwise get the gist of what “listener powered radio” means, please check out their site at: http://www.kexp.org
Photo courtesy of Jenny’s I phone via an EOF customer
Seattle photographer,Jenny Jimenez came in for some eyeglass servicing and decided we all needed to take this shot together, since we were all on the same page, wearing our Andy Wolfframes today! Thanks for pointing out the synchronicity and giving us the inspiration, Jenny!
Check out her website on the link above and her latest photo spread for July’s issue City Arts Mag:
The outrageously talented artist, TEN HUNDRED paid us a visit yesterday to pick up his newest sun specs and gracing the staff with his awesome “ride or die” t-shirt designs (thanks man!).
Frankly, we can’t wait to see what else evolves from the other side of this lens…
If you don’t already know, definitely check him out and stay tuned:
The EOF crew with Tricia from Soldier’s Angels Organization (far Right). 441 pairs of finished reading glasses were successfully made & delivered by mid-February!
Eyes on Fremont had another great winter business season & wanted to extend thanks to the community by giving back to the local community. So for 2015, our bustling lil shop wanted to support the veterans of our region: We partnered with Soldier’s Angels Foundationto provide much needed reading glasses for it’s recipients. For each complete eyeglass purchase made December 14th- 31st, we donated a set of reading glasses to Soldier’s Angels… we successfully donated over 440 sets of custom-made reading glasses!
Shout out to Van Rue & his sales team from local lens lab,Single Vision Expressfor generously supplying the optical lenses.
And a special thanks to our lab staff, Elizabeth & Emily for working extra hard to crank out 400 extra pairs of lenses so we could deliver this donation at the beginning of 2016! If you’d like are the time to learn more about the vision and services Soldier’s Angels Org. offers, check out their website here: www.soldiersangels.org
Emily has been a part of the EOF family for2.5 years, joining the crew while in the midst of her Opticianry program degree at Seattle Central. She graduated & obtained her license in 2014!
Her EOF “Specialty”:
Although Emily is a skilled “front-end” optician, she really enjoys working on the lab/production side of things as well. She splits her time in the shop doing lens finishing work, repairs, sunclip production, and dispensing/adjusting. Emily prefers to exercise her “tactile” skills wherever she can in the shop!
What motors Emily’s interests & what keeps her happily “scooting” along:
Emily balances work & play really well- engaging herself off the clock with the light-hearted, the off-beat, the creative & quirky things in life. She finds interest in collecting natural “oddities”, fun & colorful trinkets, & is a fetishist for Hello Kitty paraphernalia. If she’s not scootering around town, she probably is chilling out crafting or sewing cool things like hand-bags & vintage-inspired items. She prefers and appreciates the “old-school way” for her art process & aesthetics. The bottom line with Emily is to approach life with a little sense of humor & fun!
What is your favorite thing about working for Eyes on Fremont?
My co-workers and the fact that i am challenged everyday in making and customizing frames.
What is your favorite glasses trend? Why?
Vintage / Classic, I’ve always like vintage eyeware. Its cool to see style influence by it become more popular.
What would your advice be to a person picking out glasses for the first time?
Try on different looks to find what fits you.
If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? Stephen King, he got me interested in reading when I was in grade school.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Paleontologist, as a kid I loved going to the Burke Museum to visit the dinos!
What would your advice be to a person picking out glasses for the first time? Let us help you, it can be overwhelming!
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A travel writer for National Geographic and an astrobiologist…I was an ambitious kid.
What is your favorite glasses trend? Why?
I’m really digging the thin, light-weight metal trend. I appreciate the durability and comfortability of a metal frame, and I like the double-bar look. It’s a throwback without being obnoxious.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
When I’m not slinging specs, I like coffee and crosswords, hanging out in hammocks, spontaneous road trips and gin and tonics.
What is your favorite thing about working for Eyes on Fremont?
Finding the perfect pair of glasses for a guest.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Buy my family a mansion. I might allow myself to stay there as well.
What is your favorite glasses trend? Why?
Well-fitting glasses. That trend never goes out of style.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Riding my bikes
What is your favorite glasses trend and why?
Vintage looks – because I’m vintage.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian
If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
George Orwell
What would your advice be to a person picking out glasses for the first time?
Choose something that expresses who you are.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Double check the ticket.
What would your advice be to a person picking out glasses for the first time?
Step out of your comfort zone.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Cooking and hanging out with my dog.
What is your favorite glasses trend and why?
Larger, vintage-inspired plastics – takes me back to when I first started selling glasses in 1991.
What is your favorite thing about working for Eyes on Fremont? Making people happy by finding the perfect frame for them.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? Robert Downey JR – Survive/Thrive
What is one thing most people don’t know about you? I still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings!
What advice would you give to a person picking out glasses for the first time? Wear glasses YOU like!!
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? Family time is always the best!
What is your favorite thing about working for Eyes on Fremont? The people! Helping someone find a personal item they use for 16 hours a day is a complete privilege.
