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

Home
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.

04/13/2026

There’s a softness to true craftsmanship…
quiet, intentional, deeply felt.

At Chinook Optical, we’ve always believed it goes beyond eyewear.

Because when you slow down, you start to notice
the same care, the same soul, living in different forms.

Like

A legacy built over decades, since the 1930s
trusted by those who create, who feel, who obsess over the details.

The smooth graphite.
The perfect balance in hand.
That iconic square eraser.

Nothing accidental. Everything considered.

More than pencils, they move with purpose,
uplifting independent artists and inviting us to slow down in a world that rushes everything.

We see ourselves in that.

Independent. Intentional. Connected by craft.

This collaboration is a reflection of that shared energy.

Because it’s never just what you hold…
it’s how it makes you feel.

{new white on white versions of our promo pencils now in store, for those who know…}

04/10/2026

There are frames… and then there are statements.
At Chinook Optical we’ve always believed eyewear should add to your style, never subtract from it. It
should elevate, define, and sometimes even transform the way you carry yourself.
That’s exactly why we love Kuboraum.
Kuboraum doesn’t follow trends, it creates presence. Each frame feels like a character, a mood, a
confidence that doesn’t need to ask for attention… yet always gets it. Bold or understated,
sculptural or minimal, there’s a rhythm to the collection that allows every person to find
something that feels entirely their own.
It’s not just about how they look.
It’s about how they make you feel.
A little stronger.
A little sharper.
A little more you.
And that’s the kind of energy we curate for.
Come experience Kuboraum and find the frame that doesn’t just fit your face… but fits your
story.

04/07/2026

Back from a long weekend… still wrapped in that soft, golden energy.
Hope you all took a moment to slow down and enjoy your Easter break.
There’s something about this time… the light shifts, the colours feel a little richer, a little more
alive.
I found myself drawn to all those delicate tones… and it only felt right to carry that into this
week.
So I reached for a pink tint, eﬀortless, a little playful, but still grounded in style.
Wearing the latest Kuboraum… because sometimes the frame isn’t just an accessory, it’s a
mood.

04/03/2026

Can something be quiet… yet impossible to ignore?
Can something small… still land with force?
Loewe answered that without raising its voice.
The Mini Anagram Cateye isn’t trying to dominate the room. It doesn’t need to.
It’s controlled. Precise. Intentional.
A sharp cateye silhouette, carved in acetate, elevated with a metal inner rim, this is detail work.
The kind you don’t clock immediately, but once you do… it’s over.
It carries that cinematic energy.
Effortless, composed… dangerous in the right way.
The kind of frame that feels like it belongs somewhere between a late-night arrival and a clean
exit.
No noise. Just presence.
This is how you look like the star, without ever asking for the role.
Come see it in person. Try it on. Feel the difference.

04/01/2026

Some logos are designed…
others are felt.
The ones that stay with us, aren’t created out of thin air,
they’re shaped by something deeper.
A kind of energy passed down,
from those who built before us,
from moments that meant something,
from stories that never really left.
For me, that’s always been my grandmother,
my patron saint of style who is the inspiration
behind this logo.
You can’t force that.
You can only recognize it when it’s there.
And sometimes…
it finds its way back.
I have been revisiting one of our older logos
and it’s been sitting with me in a diﬀerent way lately.
Familiar, grounding, still full of life.
So now I am wondering…
Should I bring back the patron saint?

03/30/2026

Some of you know,
when I step away from the shop, it’s to be present with
family. To slow things down. To reconnect.
But the truth is… a part of me never really leaves.
Going through old photos recently, I noticed something I
hadn’t fully put into words before,
this world of eyewear, of frames, of style… it’s always been
there.
In the background.
On faces.
In moments that mattered.
It wasn’t just about seeing better,
it was about how we showed up.
How we carried ourselves.
How we expressed who we were, without saying a word.
That’s the part that stays with me.
Tradition isn’t loud. It lives quietly in the details… and then
one day, you realize you’ve been carrying it forward all
along.
So here’s a thought,
make the memories. Be present. Stay close to your people.
But do it in frames that feel like you.
Because style… has always been part of the story.

03/27/2026

Some frames whisper.
This one doesn’t.
The Howl by Saint Laurent walks in like it owns the room, sharp, unapologetic, and fully aware
of its presence.
At Chinook Optical, we’ve always had a respect for fashion house eyewear. It lives in that space where
style isn’t just an accessory, it’s the statement. Where the line between runway and real life
disappears.
The Howl is exactly that.
It’s bold without asking for permission.
Confident without explanation.
A reminder that eyewear can still carry attitude, real attitude.
This isn’t about playing it safe.
It’s about stepping into something that speaks before you do.
And we respect that.

03/25/2026

1924 Alberta Optometrist’s Convention. My great-grandfather found in the middle of the group. Back then, it meant something diﬀerent. You
can feel it in the images. The way they stood. The way they dressed. Boots tied, polished.
Posture straight. Presence undeniable.
There was integrity in their craft. Not just in what they did, but in how they carried it.
Looking at these pages, I’m reminded that tradition isn’t something to admire from a distance,
it’s something you protect, something you live.
I carry that with me every day.
In how this shop presents itself.
In the people I choose to stand beside.
In the pride we put into every frame that leaves our hands.
Because some things should never be lost.

03/23/2026

There’s a moment we’ve all had -
you catch your reflection mid-day. Maybe it’s after a long week, a late night, or just life moving fast. Your frame is perfect, your outfit is dialed… but your eyes don’t tell the same story.
And that matters more than we like to admit.
That’s where Bausch + Lomb comes in, a name built on over a century of precision and trust. consistency at the highest level.
So when they created LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops, it wasn’t about covering up, it was
about restoring.
Because LUMIFY doesn’t just “whiten” the eyes.
It uses low-dose brimonidine to selectively reduce redness, bringing your eyes back to a place
that feels like you again.
Clear. Rested. Present.
And the difference is immediate. Within a minute, your eyes look brighter, more awake, more
aligned with how you actually feel inside.
At Chinook Optical, we talk a lot about frames: the lines, the craft, the silhouette.
But the truth is, the most powerful thing you wear is your expression.
And when your eyes are clear, everything else lands differently.
People see it. And most importantly, you feel it.

03/20/2026

You don’t notice it right away.
(It’s never loud enough for that.)
But then it hits you, frame after frame, face after face, and suddenly you realize… something has shifted.
CELINE eyewear is landing differently.
Not reinvented. Refined.
Still rooted in the house languages shaped by Phoebe Philo and even Hedi Slimane, that controlled tension, but now it feels more resolved. More intentional. Like every line knows exactly why it exists.
And here’s where it gets interesting because this isn’t about hype or a new name stepping in to shake things up. The work is developed alongside Thélios, where ex*****on meets discipline, where design isn’t rushed, it’s considered.
You can feel the difference.
The weight of the acetate.
The way the temples sit.
The confidence in a silhouette that doesn’t need validation.
We’re watching clients reach differently now.
Less hesitation. More certainty.
Gravitating toward frames that hold presence, cat-eyes with sharper intent, oversized shapes that don’t apologize, proportions that command without excess.
It’s about recognizing when a fashion house locks back into itself.
And when CELINE does that…
everything around it gets quieter.

03/18/2026

Some women don’t just get dressed… they define a language.
My grandmother was one of them.
In a world that doesn’t always make space for women to move freely, she never asked for
permission. She knew who she was deeply, unapologetically and her style became her voice
long before she ever had to say a word.
This photo says everything.
It reminds me that style isn’t about trends or excess. It’s about identity. It’s about presence. It’s
about the quiet power of knowing yourself so well that the world adjusts around you.
Watching her shaped me. It taught me that independence isn’t just built in business, it’s built in
how you carry yourself, how you choose, how you show up.
That same energy lives on today, two+ generations later.
In how I see.
In how I style.
In how I’ve continued to build the world of Chinook Optical.
Observing her growing up taught me that
my voice doesn’t need permission.
My presence is enough.
Female mentors continue to teach me:
Own your space. Define your style. Move with intention.
Because when a woman knows who she is…
she doesn’t follow culture, she creates it.

03/16/2026

At Chinook Optical we love great frames.
New collections, beautiful shapes, incredible details… style… it’s a big part of what we do.
But let’s never forget the reason glasses exist in the first
place:
To see clearly.
To take care of your eyes.
To take care of your health.
Our store was founded by two generations of optometrists, so eye exams are part of our DNA.
And here’s something we always remind people: not all eye exams are the same.
A real eye exam is more than a quick refraction and a rushed 15-minute appointment. It’s a deeper look at your eye health.
The eye is one of the only places in the body where doctors can actually see blood vessels and nerves, which means your eyes can reveal much more than just your prescription.
That’s why we offer comprehensive eye exams.
Thorough. Thoughtful. Unrushed.
Because great eyewear should always start with healthy eyes.
Style is important.
Seeing well is essential.

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/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Chinook Optical posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Chinook Optical:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Practice
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Calgary?