I've been going to Main Line Optical since my first pair of glasses, back in 4th grade. 2 decades later, I basically refuse to go anywhere else. And I don't even live in the state anymore.
Yes, you can probably get your glasses cheaper elsewhere. Warby Parker will be happy to help you out. Warby Parker, however, doesn't have Rich Boehm.
Rich, the owner, is some impossible combination of salesman/stylist/therapist/eyeball professional/smartass. (Is Rich a doctor? I have no idea. You'd think I'd know something like this by now.) (Also, you may only get the smartass version if you're me, and have been going to see him since you were 8, and were kind of a surly jerkface all throughout high school.)
The selection is smaller than what you might see at (other glasses places around town that I won't mention because WHY ARE YOU GOING THERE), as is the storefront, but Rich and his lovely assistants (oh god I can't even remember their names right now I am awful) are going to help you every step of the way, whether that step is trying on a few frames and instantly making a decision, trying something on but realizing that the color/size is off (if it's available, they'll do custom orders for you), or trying on literally every pair of frames in the store for 3 hours while your mother gets angry and bored and you eventually settle on something that you kind of don't hate, and Rich finally tells you that you can't have them. Because they make your face look dumb. Try these instead. (And then those are glasses you wear for the next 5 years.) (This may have actually happened.) (Several times.)
I left the state to go to college. I tried other glasses places. I hated them. No one cared about my process in trying on frames, no one bothered to try and help me find frames that would actually work with my facial features. No one made me feel comfortable asking questions about the quality, make, or fit of what I was buying. They were happy to sell me the most expensive frames in the store, regardless of whether or not they were the right frames for ME. (Rich still makes fun of me for those frames.)
Currently, I live in Colorado. When I go back to visit, I'll be bringing my current frames with me - one pair sits weird on my nose, and I need them to straighten the ear bits out so my head doesn't look crooked. One pair needs new nose-y bits, and I can't find new ones that don't pinch.
That's another thing - you buy a pair of glasses here, and then you just keep going back, even just for all the weird, hinky, glasses related repairs and fixups that you never knew you needed, pretty much forever. I don't know if that's a warranty thing, or just a good customer service thing.
In addition to normal glasses, I've also gotten several pairs of prescription sunglasses here, and they're amazing. MLO will turn ANY pair of glasses in to a pair of sunglasses, if that's what you want. Unless the glasses literally won't work as sunglasses b/c of the size of the frames, and then Rich will tell you to Go Fish. He won't sell you something that's going to work like crap just because you think it'll look cute.
The sunglasses thing also warrants mentioning because most sunglasses have curved frames, which requires (more) curved lenses. Apparently make the curves of the sunglasses fit with the curves of your scrip is tricky - bc of this, there are some sunglasses frames that won't work w/ your prescription. They'll be honest about that. That said, Main Line Optical has nailed every pair (4) that they've ever made for me. They'll also customize the tint on the lenses, if you like them darker or lighter or amber-er or redder or wherever your preferences fall on the color spectrum. I've never met another glasses place that will do that. Want polarized lenses that don't come stock with the frames? Cool, they can do that too.
They also do sports glasses. I don't own a pair, yet, but I'm going to need some for roller derby pretty soon. Guess where I'll be going.
Other perks: free glasses case! Pick the case you like, even if it isn't the one that is supposed to be paired with your frames. Go ahead, ask how many times I've emptied out those drawers looking for the "perfect" case. (It has 1990's Mario Mario on it and was wedged in the very back and STOP JUDGING ME.)
- If you're a parent, MLO is AMAZING with kids. They not only actually carry kids frames, but they carry a SIGNIFICANT NUMBER of them. Most places I've seen, kids get 2 choices, between "ugly" and "awkward." There's also a small play area to keep them occupied while you're doing your thing.
The only cons are really pretty standard problems on the Main Line:
- It's hella crowded after school and on weekends. You can't really avoid that, just be prepared for it.
- They close impossibly early. 5pm most days, 7pm on Weds. Closed on Mondays.
- No street parking. Whatever. It's Ardmore. You know already read more