Moscot

Welcome back, Nerds! Just in case you forgot, we're focusing on charitable brands for the month of November for our Indy Spotlights and THIS week we're presenting Moscot straight outta New York City!

We carried Moscot at my last office and it was a great line that did very well for us. So well, we'd have patients drive 2 hours to buy from us as we were the only retailer in NC for a long while. There's no denying, they've built themselves a following that reaches down the coast. Most of the patients I've seen in my time in the industry were recent retirees that moved to the southern coast and a surprising amount of them knew the brand and had been loyal to it for years and were always glad to see we carried the brand.

I have a great deal of respect for the Moscot family. As a budding eyewear designer and seasoned optician, I respect this families devotion to the trade as a whole. Getting their start in 1899 selling pre-made glasses off a pushcart in Manhattan's Lower East Side. 108 years later they're still in the same place with 5 generations of family running the business. I can only hope my family takes after this one in my venture into frame making. They have a great focus for detail, craftsmanship and a commitment to their community that's engrained in their roots.

In my deep dive of all things Moscot I found a pandemic-era (Is it officially over?) initiative they began with Cherry Optical Lab for front line medical personnel responding to COVID-19 to receive free Moscot frames and single vision Cherry Optical lenses That relief package received an influx of response and managed to deliver over 5,000 pairs (roughly $1.5million) of glasses throughout the US healthcare community. I'm honestly surprised this wasn't branded more during COVID. As a retailer I would have thought they would have mentioned this to us, even if it was just in passing. But I digress.

While they have (obviously) stopped accepting new requests for this particular relief program, they're always working on new initiatives and ways to give back to their community and those in need through their Moscot Mobileyes Foundation. Mobileyes partnered with New Life of NYC, Inc , Restore NYC, and Ready Willing and Able to help provide exams and glasses to those in need in their community. They accept monetary donations as well as eyeglass donations at any of their NYC locations or if you'd like to donate online you can do so here . Minimum donations start at $5.00 and go up to $500 online.

In addition to their standard care, Music has become as much of Moscot's branding as their eyewear, by hosting "Live From the Shop" for both emerging and established artists at their flagship location on Orchard since 2004. In April of this year, Mobileyes with national music education nonprofit Music Will to sponsor their Punk & Beyond exhibit and auction to help raise funds to open four music programs in local public schools. Moscot kicked this initiative off with a $26,000 donation of their own in addition to the $28,000 raised from the exhibit's auction. The funds raised will help fund teacher training, instrument donations, curriculum and scholarships for students to attend the Music Will Modern Band Summit.

In all, this is a great brand you guys. Whether you want some glasses that are truly made to last, listen to some great music in an optical boutique or donate to some great causes Moscot has done their best to make themselves a one-stop-shop for it all. There's a lot of history that runs through New York City and this family has been there through a lot of it and that's nothing to scoff at. Check them out next time you're visiting or see what they're up to online. And next time you've got five bucks to share, consider supporting their many great causes.

I'll be back next week with another frame company and another initiative for your consideration! Don't forget to follow back up!

Byeeeeeee!

*Iris*