What are the opening hours?

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Chinook Optical

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Canada
Calgary, AB
Chinook Optical

Purveyors of Fine Eyewear since 1916. Located in the Britannia Shopping Plaza, Calgary, Alberta, Can Our business was founded by Dr. E.S. His son, B.J.S.

Tharp as Consolidated Optical, located in the Leeson & Lineham Block building (209 -8th Avenue SW) in 1916 in Calgary, Alberta. Tharp, became a doctor of Optometry after serving in the navy in WWII. He founded Chinook Optical in 1960 and now the next two generations are continuing the business. Chinook Optical is proud to be a small and independent business in Calgary, Alberta. The store was one of the original tenants in Chinook Center when the mall opened, yet for almost a decade now we have enjoyed our current location in the Britannia Shopping Plaza. We are proud of our history serving the Calgary community for more than 100 years and look forward to the next century of eyecare in our city. Our exceptional team of licensed opticians, students of opticianry and licensed doctors of optometry are continuing our tradition of excellence in health service.

02/20/2026

At first glance, the MM-081 frame by Masahiro Maruyama feels easy and expressive. Look a little
closer and you start to notice the details that make it
special. Crafted in lightweight titanium and handmade in
Japan, the frame feels airy on the face while still being
beautifully structured. The designer’s signature asymmetry is expressed here: slightly
different lens shapes and an intentionally off-balance
bridge gives the frame character without ever feeling distracting.
What we love most is how wearable it is. Adjustable nose
pads, refined proportions, and thoughtful construction
make the MM-0081 feel comfortable and intuitive,
something you forget you’re wearing… until someone
compliments you on it.
This is exactly why we’re drawn to this brand. Masahiro
Maruyama designs frames with care, curiosity, and a
sense of play, values that align so naturally with how we
see eyewear at Chinook Optical. Pieces that feel personal, considered, and meant to be enjoyed every day.
It’s charming, a little unexpected, and full of personality.
Very much our kind of frame.

02/18/2026

This year, as we celebrate 110 years of Chinook Optical,
we’ve been spending time revisiting our archives.
Along the way, we rediscovered this retro logo from the 1960s. There’s something playful about it, like a sports team reintroducing a vintage jersey. A quiet nod to the past, reimagined in the present.
Beyond the nostalgia, this logo tells a bigger story.
If we’ve been here for over a century, it’s because we’ve
made every effort to understand the moment
we were in moving with culture, not behind it. Embracing what felt modern, relevant, and undeniably us. Or, maybe at the time… groovy.
Style changes. Identity stays.
And that balance is what has carried us for 110
years.

02/16/2026

Family Day - Being part of a family that has served our community for over a century is a privilege we carry with pride. Stepping into a heritage passed through generations brings a quiet sense of nostalgia and a deep sense of gratitude. When I look back on our history I don’t just see where we’ve come from, I see the many moments we’ve been fortunate to witness along the way: children coming in for their first visits, returning years later as adults, families growing and evolving, generations passing through our doors at different chapters of their lives.
These are not just transactions. They are moments of
continuity, trust built over time, and a community shaped
through decades of shared presence.
No matter what your family is like, thank you for being part of ours. Wishing everyone Happy Family Day.

02/13/2026

Eyewear isn’t just a product.
It’s a statement. A mood. A little revelation every time you see yourself through the right frame.
The perfect frame doesn’t just complete a look, it transforms it. It’s confidence at eye level, a
subtle superpower you wear without saying a word.
Helping our clients find the one, the frame that makes them feel effortlessly themselves, is pure
magic. The shift in posture, the hint of a smile, the spark in their eyes… it’s all the proof we
need that eyewear is so much more than just a product.
This Valentine’s Day, indulge in the details that make you feel unstoppable.

02/11/2026

At Chinook Optical, our standards have always guided us.
The opticians who meet them don’t simply pass through - they stay, they grow, they lead, and they help carry our legacy forward.
Neal was one of those people. A master optician whose
precision, care, and deep understanding of the craft set a lasting tone within our walls. Now retired, his influence
continues through the many opticians he trained and the
values he helped reinforce.
This is how tradition lives on.
Through knowledge shared.
Through standards upheld.
Through work done with intention.
Because what’s rooted in integrity never goes out of style.

02/09/2026

These quotes have always reminded me that style isn’t about permission, it’s about leaning into possibility.
“I wish I had the courage….”
(we hear that more than you’d think.)
But courage doesn’t arrive first. You put the glasses on, then it shows up, & it embodies you.
Then you take on the world.
And it’s faster than makeup.
Simpler than anything drastic.
Yet the effect is instant.
Posture shifts. Energy changes. Perspective sharpens.
And suddenly you’re open to all possibilities.
New lenses. Fresh outlook.
See yourself differently.

02/06/2026

We’re beyond excited to welcome Thom Browne to
Chinook Optical - a brand that consistently proves that staying true to your vision never goes out of style.
For years, Thom Browne has carved a unique place in
fashion by blending timeless heritage with thoughtful,
modern creativity and now that same dedication is
reflected in their eyewear.
Rather than follow the industry norm of licensing out
eyewear, Thom Browne brought the eyewear line completely in-house, taking full creative control to ensure every frame reflects the brand’s DNA.
Handcrafted with precision, designed with intention, and
made in collaboration with master artisans, Thom Browne
eyewear is not just an accessory it’s an elevated statement. The use of premium materials like titanium and Japanese acetate keeps every piece luxurious yet wearable, while signature brand elements make each pair unmistakably ‘Thom Browne.’
This drop isn’t just about gorgeous frames it’s about
celebrating brand authenticity and longevity. Just as
Chinook Optical has remained true to its values over decades, Thom Browne continues to uphold a vision that looks forward while honoring its roots.

02/04/2026

No matter where in the city we’ve been located, one thing has always remained constant: the people.
These photographs come from one of our many locations in the mall, a place we called home for more than 60 years. Within those walls, time moved quietly but meaningfully. Children came in holding a parent’s hand, and years later returned with families of their own. Faces became familiar. Conversations carried on across decades. What began as an appointment often grew into a multigenerational relationship. It has been a profound privilege to witness so many patients become more than clients, to be trusted not just with vision, but with moments of life in between.
Through every move, every chapter, Chinook Optical has held onto what matters most: care, quality
and genuine attention. We’ve been given the rare gift of becoming a destination not because of where we were located, but because of how people felt when they
walked through our doors.
Wherever we’ve been on the map, the feeling has stayed the same. And that is a legacy we take the most pride in, and will do our very best to continue.

01/30/2026

We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome PRESS Eyewear to our store. From the very first frame, PRESS has been focused on bold design, fearless style, and eyewear that feels like a statement, not just an accessory. Inspired by urban energy, attitude, and unapologetic confidence, PRESS blurs the line between fashion and function.

With vibrant + expressive colour, PRESS uses rich, custom-tinted Mazzucchelli bio-acetates that go
beyond classic palettes. Whether it’s deep jewel tones, layered crystal effects, or unexpected hues, the colour feels intentional, bold, and full of personality.
Many of their statement pieces are crafted from thick acetate, giving frames depth, dimension, and a beautifully substantial feel on the face.
Automotive-inspired metal design like The Streamline Collection channels the elegance and
precision of automotive form. Handcrafted from pure Japanese titanium with sculpted curves and
plated accents, these elements echo the streamlined grace of classic car design.
And the creative force behind it all? Jeff Press who has decades of experience building luxury eyewear.
So whether you’re after something sharp for daily wear or a standout piece that turns heads, we’ve got frames that really excite us in store for you to discover.

01/28/2026

Some things can’t be manufactured.
They’re earned over time.
We’re incredibly lucky to have legacy clients who have trusted Chinook Optical with their eye
care + eyewear generation after generation. Clients who followed us from our longtime home
in the Chinook Centre mall, where we spent over 60 years, to where we are today, now 15+ years into our Britannia chapter. Families and clients who are
still walking through our doors, still choosing us.
As someone who has been shaped by a multigenerational optical family, this hits close to home.
It’s a privilege to be part of your stories and your lives, and one we take seriously. It’s also incredible to see how style, confidence, and individuality get passed down - sometimes quietly, sometimes boldly.
Eyewear has a way of connecting people. Across decades. Across tastes. Across generations.
{Maybe great style really is genetic in some cases…}
And if that’s the case, we’re honored to help bring it into focus one generation at a time.
•
Pictures - My Grandfather, Dr. Tharp (2nd gen.), in Calgary in the 1970s & my grandmother, Ada, in the late 1950s, who I call my Patron Saint of Style.

01/26/2026

Sometimes all it takes is seeing something in a new light.
Ideas don’t arrive late or early, sometimes they just arrive before we’re ready to feel them. And then one day, they click. Suddenly, something from the past feels completely new
again.
That’s the beauty of eyewear.
There are no real trends here - just emotions, intuition, and how a frame makes you feel the
moment you put it on. No rules. No limitations.
This Paula frame from Lapima’s past collection did exactly that for me. It stopped me, sparked
something, and instantly made me excited to start the week.
Because great eyewear isn’t about what’s “in.”
It’s about what moves you.
Here’s to fresh perspectives, old favorites, and starting the week with feeling!

01/23/2026

At Chinook Optical, we don’t curate collections by accident, we curate them by conviction.
Danielle Rattray is the kind of brand that doesn’t shrink from its identity, it asserts it with clarity, craft, and style.
Born out of Scotland, shaped by the designer’s background in graphic arts, fashion, and
storytelling, each frame is a proposition - not a compromise. The bold lines and refined silhouettes
reflect an aesthetic that lives between art and attitude: where strength meets nuance and poise
meets presence. The collection speaks in confident proportions, unexpected angles, and material
integrity that doesn’t just look intentional, it feels that way.
These are frames designed for the independent spirit: fearless yet thoughtful, expressive without pretense. They are built for the person who wants their eyewear to signal something real about who they are. From the angular statement of the Jean to the sultry yet assertive personality of the Lowe, there is a precision in form and finish that rewards close inspection.
This is not eyewear that sits quietly in the background, it sits at the intersection of confidence and craft.
We brought Danielle Rattray into Chinook Optical because she embodies what we value:
design with resolve, details with intent, and presence without apology.
This is eyewear for the unapologetically stylish.
Now exclusively at our store.
Where conviction meets craft.

Address

813 49th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB
T2S1G8

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+14032521961

Website

http://www.chinookoptical.com/

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