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.

03/09/2026

Every day is a brilliant day with this team at Chinook Optical. So honoured to be surrounded by these incredible women at work as they are who make our world go ‘round. Every day is here and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Grateful beyond words!

03/06/2026

Meet Julia.
The futuristic cat-eye from Vada that walks in before you do.
Unisex in fit, unapologetic in presence. Handmade in Japan from featherlight beta titanium, she feels effortless but visually? All impact.
Custom V hardware. Sculpted titanium nose pads. Clean
lines that hit from every angle. The details are subtle, but
they speak fluently.
She’s sharp without trying.
Modern without feeling cold.
Strong, with that quiet kind of femininity that doesn’t need approval.
At Chinook Optical, we’re drawn to frames that carry
themselves.
Julia doesn’t ask for attention.
She owns it.
Try her on.

03/04/2026

I recently came across this photo of me and my mum at MIDO in Milan from a few years ago… I still remember my very first trade show trips with her like they were yesterday. The excitement. The long days. The espresso fueled discussions over shapes, lines, proportions. We’d walk the huge show halls discovering new collections, then sit down and dissect everything, what felt honest, what felt exciting, what deserved a place on our shelves, what felt like us, what our clients were looking for, etc.
- As two women with backgrounds in industrial design, we’ve always had strong opinions when it comes to frame design -
And truthfully, that’s what has shaped Chinook Optical all
these years. Every frame that comes into the store has been part of a conversation. A shared instinct. A little back and forth.
Looking at this photo reminds me that what we curate isn’t just product. It’s perspective. It’s history. It’s two generations caring deeply about the details.
Some things evolve.
Some things stay beautifully the same.

03/02/2026

110 years… and we’re still having fun with it.
To know us is to know that community has always been the heartbeat of Chinook Optical. And we know that the real magic of it all is found in the people we get to create with.
To mark this milestone, we teamed up with Juan
because 110 years deserves more than a cake and a speech - it needed something graphic. Something with presence. Something that greets you before you even walk in.
Juan brought that vision to life with an anniversary decal that now lives on our exterior doors, windows and inside the shop in various spots.
The perfect nod to our past with a fresh, current energy.
I say this on repeat, but this is what I love most about being an independent shop: the collaborations, the creative back-and-forth, the “okay but
what if…” moments that turn into something special.
110 years in… and we are still building with our people.

02/27/2026

Some frames don’t try to charm you — they stand there
and let you come closer.
The Core Rough collection by Dandy’s has that kind of
magnetism. There’s density to it. Real substance. The
acetate is unapologetically thick, sculpted into silhouettes that feel grounded and self-assured.
What makes it special isn’t just the weight, it’s the
contrast. The edges have a rawness, a slightly
untamed finish that gives texture and depth. Yet the lines
remain composed, the proportions thoughtful. Nothing
feels exaggerated. Nothing feels forced.
It’s bold in a cultivated way. Strong without aggression.
Refined without losing its edge.
These are frames that hold space beautifully. They don’t
decorate the face, they frame it with conviction.
If you’re curious how that kind of presence feels on you,
come try them. We’ll style them together and find the one that shifts everything just slightly, in the best way.

02/25/2026

For over a century, we’ve watched the optical industry evolve.
Methods come and go. Trends rise, shake things up, and move on.
We’ve seen the online era promise fast, cheap, and accessible. And while it had its moment, it
was never the move for us. Not then. Not now.
Because eyewear is absolutely fashion. A thousand percent.
But first it’s a medical device. One built on precision.
A millimetre off here, a rushed measurement there… and suddenly comfort disappears, clarity
suffers, and your eyes feel the strain. Eye health doesn’t do shortcuts.
That’s why we take our time.
We listen. We measure carefully. We gather the right information. We fabricate with expertise and high standards, and when your frames arrive,
we fine-tune, adjust, and follow through.
This isn’t extra.
This is the experience.
Beautiful frames, thoughtful care, and a level of attention that only comes from doing this for
generations and still caring deeply about getting it right with every pair.

02/23/2026

Community lives in the conversations. One of the things I love most about being an independent shop is the dialogue we exchange with our clients. I am so proud that Chinook Optical has become a space where people feel comfortable asking questions, learning, and really exploring what feels right for them. We’ve also reached a level where choosing a new frame feels like a creative exchange, ideas bouncing back and forth, opinions shared, instincts trusted.
Recently, one of those moments led us to this lens
tint + frame combination with the Hurst frame. Effortless. Thoughtful. So good it felt like we were designing a collaboration together.
It inspired me so much, I ended up making a pair for
myself too.
This exchange of creativity with eyewear is what our community looks like to us. And we love every minute of it.
Tell us what you think in the comments.

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.

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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