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BIG CITY OPTICAL Added to Prestigious List of Optical Practices

Local Eye Care Brand Ranks as one of Vision Monday’s Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers

July 12, 2023 (Chicago) - Vision Monday (www.visionmonday.com), the optical industry’s leading business news platform, part of the Jobson Optical Group, a division of WebMD, named BIG CITY OPTICAL a 2023 Vision Monday Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailer. The selection is based on revenue and number of stores operated by regional and national retail groups based on 2022 estimated sales and locations. Collectively, the list of Vision Monday estimated sales for the period came in at $18.7 billion, representing revenues which were 4% higher than last year's report.

“We’re thrilled to join the ranks of the Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers,” BIG CITY OPTICAL co-founder and CEO, Mike Kogelis, said. “As a regional, locally-owned company, BIG CITY OPTICAL is particularly proud to be recognized on a national level.”

Established six years ago, the company has managed to soar past initial expectations and averages four new stores each year. Today, BIG CITY OPTICAL has 17 stores with their newest store opening last month and the company has plans to open more stores this year.

Early investment in digital exam technology that allowed for remote eye exams led to BIG CITY OPTICAL’s team being able to continue delivering eye exam services during the early months of the pandemic when other retailers decided to close.

“At BIG CITY OPTICAL we’ve always leveraged top-tier digital exam technologies, even prior to the pandemic,” BIG CITY OPTICAL co-founder and President Dr. Rasa Tamulavichus said. “During the pandemic we were really able to lean into our digital exam capabilities. This was an asset to accelerated growth at the time and beyond.”

With record revenue and growth, the company plans to continue to invest in such technology to meet client demand.

“BIG CITY OPTICAL was established with a growth mindset,” Dr. Tamulavichus said. “Now, as a Vision Monday Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailer, we’re more than excited to continue to grow!”

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BIG CITY OPTICAL is a premium provider of digital comprehensive eye exams and offers a broad selection of designer eyewear brands and contact lenses. It operates 17 stores in Chicago and the city’s northern suburbs. BIG CITY OPTICAL accepts the nation’s largest vision plans. BIG CITY OPTICAL is a Premier VSP provider and Essilor Expert.

For questions regarding Vision Monday, please contact Marjorie Axelrad at MAxelrad@jobson.com.

BIG CITY OPTICAL Opens Store on Michigan Avenue

New Store Brings Eye Care Brand to 17 Total Locations

CHICAGO, IL (May 17, 2023) - BIG CITY OPTICAL will add another store to its list of locations across Chicago and the North Shore. On May 17th, the brand will officially open its seventeenth store adding a Michigan Avenue address to its store portfolio.

Located at 520 N Michigan Avenue (Mall Level 1) inside The Shops at North Bridge, the store’s eyewear offering will include brands like Cartier, DITA, and TOM FORD. BIG CITY OPTICAL’s m.alexander line will also be part of the store’s frame product.

“Eyewear product for this new Michigan Avenue location was handpicked by BIG CITY OPTICAL, including frames from the m.alexander line,” BIG CITY OPTICAL CEO Mike Kogelis said. “We will be debuting our Cartier offering at this store, a brand highly sought after in this area of the market.”

The store is BIG CITY OPTICAL’s second in The Shops at North Bridge property. BIG CITY OPTICAL also has a store on 38 E Grand Avenue in Chicago, a location within The Shops at North Bridge.

“We’re excited to welcome a second BIG CITY OPTICAL location at The Shops at North Bridge to our Level 1 merchandising mix,” said Todd Hiepler, property manager of The Shops at North Bridge. “We continue to partner with our retailers to optimize their business operations and we’re looking forward to bringing the convenience of booking an eye exam and purchasing eyewear products to Michigan Avenue.”

George Leyva will manage this new BIG CITY OPTICAL Michigan Avenue location and the existing Grand Avenue location. Leyva has nearly 20 years of optical experience, many of which occurred at The Shops at North Bridge, and is beloved by the local community.

“I’m looking forward to managing BIG CITY OPTICAL’s presence at The Shops at North Bridge for many reasons, one of which is to reconnect with the community that I grew so close to over the years,” Leyva explained.

To schedule an eye exam, visit https://www.bigcityoptical.com/schedule-an-eye-exam.html.

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BIG CITY OPTICAL offers high-quality eye care and eyewear product in a wide-array of brands. Offering best-in-class vision care across its 17 stores in Chicago and the North Shore, BIG CITY OPTICAL accepts the nation’s largest vision plans. BIG CITY OPTICAL is a Premier VSP provider and Essilor Expert.​​​​​​​

The Shops at North Bridge, located in the heart of the Michigan Avenue retail corridor, is an iconic shopping district and destination for world-class retail and dining experiences. Sprawling six city blocks and anchored by a four-level shopping center, The Shops at North Bridge features some of the city’s most iconic stores, including Nordstrom, BOSS Hugo Boss, MAC Cosmetics, APM Monaco, UNTUCKit, MCM Worldwide, Kiehl’s Since 1851 and White House I Black Market. The Shops at North Bridge offers an array of sumptuous restaurant options conveniently located on the premises and just steps away from the city’s style hub, including Eataly, Shake Shack, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, and Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen. Learn more at theshopsatnorthbridge.com.