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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.

03/30/2026

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.

03/13/2026

We’ve been around long enough to know one thing for certain: great style never dies.
Trends come and go. Shapes get exaggerated, materials evolve, marketing gets louder. But the
frames that were designed with real style and intention always find their way back.
Take this Dior frame from the early 1990s.
Still relevant. Still elegant. Still right.
This one is personal. It belonged to my mum, and I’ve kept it all these years as a reminder of
what timeless design looks like. When something is created with true style, it doesn’t belong to
a single era.
It lives on.
For me, it’s also a bit of inspiration a reminder to keep searching for those pieces that stand the
test of time. The frames that still make you pause decades later and say, that’s special.
That’s the beauty of eyewear when it’s done right.

03/11/2026

I’ve always had a huge soft spot for the details.
The quiet ones. The things most people might overlook,
but that completely shape how something feels. The cut of a blazer that sits just right on the shoulders. A pair of
boots with the perfect attitude. A handbag with beautiful
structure. And of course, a pair of glasses that finishes the story.
Those little touches are never random. They’re placed
there with care, with intention.
That’s what has always drawn me to Thom Browne. It
goes far beyond eyewear. It’s a complete universe where
every element speaks the same language, tailoring, textures, proportions, personality.
These photos were taken during a visit to the Thom
Browne showroom, and it’s one of those places where
you’re reminded how powerful the small things can be.
In many ways, that way of thinking has always felt very
natural to me. At Chinook Optical, details have never
been an afterthought. They’re part of the foundation. For
110 years, it’s the care, the precision, and the appreciation for craftsmanship that have shaped who we are.
Because when you truly love what you do, you start to
notice everything.
And sometimes, it’s the smallest details that leave the
strongest impression.

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.

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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