Meet a Lower Manhattan Business: Artsee Eyewear

Artsee Eyewear is a gallery of eyeglasses with each frame handmade from materials ranging from buffalo horn to recycled vinyl records.

“We see the frames as a work of art,” said general manager Carlos Venegas. Instead of an explosion of frames throughout the store, only a few are displayed in the window. The idea is to show customers what shapes and colors work well with their face from a back-store collection rather than have them pick out hip pieces that may be all wrong for them, Venegas said.

The cutting-edge, yet affordable, designs are a hit with the conservative banking crowd and young professionals who live nearby because they are offbeat without looking wild. But the store itself is also an attraction.

The loft-like space showcases artwork, including the most current installation of photographs by David L. Nicholas. The shots include a Ground Zero tribute and the Palace Square in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Artsee Eyewear

220 Murray Street

212.227.2400

www.artseeeyewear.com