Published in The Chronicle – September 26, 2004
By Katy Raddatz
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Phoenix Optical was featured in The Chronicle, where writer Katy Raddatz highlighted owner Ray Ascher’s renowned collection of vintage eyewear and the growing demand for retro styles.

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“Maybe one day Ray Asher will run out of vintage eyewear, but it is not likely to happen anytime soon. Asher's retro eyewear shop, Phoenix Optical, at 2340 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley, houses one of the biggest collections of unworn spectacles on the planet.
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The shop, with prices ranging from $150 to $500, has been around for nearly 50 years. But this year, Asher says, interest in vintage frames has spiked. He stocks between 30,000 and 50,000 frames from the 1900s to the 1980s in his wild, eccentric shop decorated with vintage barbershop chairs. Four million more frames are stockpiled in Germany and France.”

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We’re honored to have been recognized for preserving and celebrating vintage eyewear, a passion that continues to inspire every frame we design today.

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