Aspen Eyewear

After recent eye surgery for a medical condition and some other complicating vision issues, I was in need of some out of the ordinary correction. I have used a few opticians in and around Boulder in my years here, but Aspen is the one I have the longest history with. I decided to return to them this time to see what they could suggest and provide.
The staff had lots of good advice, were extraordinarily helpful, discussed some options with me and we balanced what I thought I wanted to do with what they knew was realistic and I am pleased with the results. Multiple people helped me ever so graciously. I received my first and most important set of glasses today, just in time for some back to back trips. Because of surgical precautions I was not able to be Rx tested earlier by my health provider so this was a tight schedule fit. Just the way it was, but Aspen really came through. After being pleased with this first step, I ordered another option to supplement my vision in some specific sets of circumstances. They knew just what to do.
The staff and ownership here are very accommodating, they are up to date on frame styles and lens options, and in a great location with ample parking, a Boulder must have!

Carrie the optician was incredibly helpful to me and I hadn’t even purchased my glasses there! I do see Dr. Bollenbacher for prescriptions at Aspen and he is fabulous. After my experience with Carrie, I would definitely consider ordering glasses there as well. She went out of her way to help me with the questions that I had regarding my internet purchased glasses!!! Exceptional, welcoming, and knowledgeable service!

Sounds like YMMV from other reviewers. I went to Aspen for service on a pair of treasured $ 500 Porsche Design sunglasses that had been beat up over the years, dropped, and eventually sat on. There is nothing like these made any more and they are my irreplacable favorites. When I tried to repair them myself yet again, the frame screw broke off in the frame and I realized I needed to look for a professional repair shop. I was hesitant to trust them to any one, but I read the reviews on Aspen and took a chance. Dottie and Heinz took them in, drilled the broken screw out, straightened them, swapped out the lenses with some extras I’d ordered, and generally resurrected them from the dead, and even fine tuned them back onto my head for a precise fit. When I asked how much I owed them, they refused to take my money, and then asked me if I needed a free protective case. I kid you not! They may be expensive, but I don’t know another shop in Boulder that could have served me better. They’re the real deal for high quality eyewear.

These people are wonderful. Make sure you see Laurie and she’ll help you find sunglasses that look good on you, regardless of the price. They don’t push certain brands, or try to get you into higher price brackets. The customer service is very good overall, but don’t expect sales staff to jump all over you with attention… this is a SUBDUED atmosphere that I appreciate… I don’t want some annoying salesperson hovering over me while I try things on… if I need help, I’ll ask. Also, please note that Ray-​Ban makes many of their products in China… what a betrayal. I don’t care what their marketing department says about this (they use skilled labour, and the quality standards are high) — give me a break. It costs Ray-​Ban a fraction in labour costs to make sunglasses in China, yet they have the audacity to charge $ 200 for a pair?! The folks at Aspen Eyewear will happily steer you to other brands, if that’s what you desire.

Pros: staff seems professional, longer term in biz and competent. Great selection albeit over priced in much. Nice store aesthetics and layout.
Cons: customer service, not staffed to handle peak loads and can’t make an appointment for a fitting (which would solve part of this). I went there three times to buy glasses and walked out each time after 10 – 15 minutes. The last time went back to my eye doc office with a small selection but ready service. What is at stake here they might not realize is not the one pair of glasses but many over many years plus lost business due to a dissatisfied customer telling ten others, or hundreds now with tools like Unilocal

If you’re looking for terrible service with employees who have zero sense of urgency, go to Aspen Eye Wear. If you’re normal like me who does not accept such incompetence, take your business elsewhere. I waited for 30 minutes for anyone to help me. When I kept on asking for assistance they said «sorry, it’s our rush right now. We’ll help you as soon as we can.» Literally there were only 2 other customers. Any one who has had experience with a properly run establishment would agree this is an unacceptable experience. After what seemed like an eternity someone asked «how may I help you?» And I said «my glasses broke, can you please fix them?» She takes a glance at them and determines that they are «unfixable». I am not mad that they couldn’t fix them. I’m mad that it took them a half an hour to give me a response that took less than a second. All she said was «sorry» and gave me a half of a frown which seemed like she didn’t even care that she wasted my time

I’ve been a client here for many years, as have both of my now adult children, although one has moved away now. IMHO, Aspen is the best eyewear store in Boulder. You don’t have to take my word for it, just read the reviews here, and also know that they have won more awards for their service than any other eyewear store around.
Some other reviewers claim Aspen is very expensive, but I’ve found there are always choices that are less so too. I tend to pick about 10 frames I like, try them all on, and usually end up with very reasonably priced ones that hold up for several years, are fashionable, and look great on me. They have even worked with me on using some of my old frames if they can. Also, they have repaired frames I didn’t even buy from them, for free too.
Other shops in town don’t have nearly as many frames to choose from. The big chains usually don’t have anything I like, or any that work for my face shape, and many of the chains have poor quality, cheap frames that won’t last more than a year. Many others stores in town are just as expensive, or more. I tend to stay away from the chains though as I never seem to find anything I like, or get the quality and excellent service I get at Aspen.
I tried switching to some of the other shops around town over the past 23 years, but I always end up back at Aspen for their incredible frames selection, their first class optical department, and customer service.
I trust the optometrist here, more than any other I’ve seen — Michael Bollenbacher.
I decided my eyesight is worth the best I can afford, and they will work with me if y finances are hurting.

The best eyewear selection in Boulder! I’ve been coming here for years and I’m never disappointed. Dottie helped me on my latest visit and she is exceptional! They have so many choices that it makes the process so much easier.

God Bless them.
First, a little background…
We live in the mountains between 9,000 and 10,000 feet, so we need good eye protection due to the increased UV rays.
My wonderful wife had deep skin cancer on her nose about 15 years ago, so the surgeon had to repeatedly dig deep until he got it all. a plastic surgeon replaced the removed skin with part of her cheek skin, leaving it slightly disfigured and sensitive.
The glasses she has been wearing recently have been irritating her nose where she had had the cancer, so i looked online and found that Aspen Eyewear was strongly recommended, so called and made an appointment\ for her.
We arrived a little before my wife’s 1 PM for my her eye exam appointment at 1PM on a Saturday and she was being examined by the time i returned from parking the car.
Launch! We have liftoff.
While she was having her eye exam, i looked through the huge selection of eyeglass frames with one of the employees, who was very helpful.
Trajectory looks good…
When my wife came out of the exam room, i showed her the frames i had picked out, but they either didn’t fit or she wasn’t fond of the styles, so we proceeded to look for more.
Bump.
She became upset due to being overwhelmed by the huge selection of frames — they really do have a *lot* — and left, but the doctor said she still had her pupils dilated and needed to finish the exam, so i brought her back in and the doc completed her exam. She told me that she was also upset because our daughter-​in-​law was in emergency gallbladder (infected even) surgery in Texas that morning and we hadn’t heard back…
Houston, we have a problem…
It was then that Carrie, one of their excellent employees, took my wife under her wing and turned her tears to smiles…
Carrie spent 30.40 very patient minutes searching with us for frames and then spent another very patient 30.45 minutes with her trying on the various frames and very patiently fitting them and very patiently educating us on all the fine points of fit and function and construction.
Did I tell you Carrie was very patient yet? It was liking finding a golden needle in a pile of needles, but Carrie managed to do it — and they look great!
Houston, Tranquility Base here — the Eagle has landed!
We went into town and picked up the glasses today and my wife is extremely happy with them — so much so, that *she doesn’t even notice them* — that’s how good they are. No distortion, no discomfort; just perfect vision.
Yes, they were more expensive. They use Nikon lenses and coatings, so they’re top notch. no, they’re not fancy designer frames, but dang they look perfect on her and it was worth it to see my wonderful wife not miserable or worried about her glasses any more.
Welcome home!
So, thank you Aspen Eyewear — and especially Carrie — for a successful mission.
We will be back.
If you’re reading this, just go there and be happy.
God Bless them.

I am a fairly new resident in Boulder and was working on a volunteer Boulder Flood Relief project. My glasses came off while sawing some dry board and my frames were destroyed. I went to Aspen Eye Wear to see if they could quickly come up with a a new frame for me. They had just opened themselves after sustaining flood damage. Within 15 minutes they were able to find me a replacement frame and charged me less than ¹⁄₃ of what these frames would normally cost. These are good people and I will be taking my future optometry needs to them from now on!

If you are a tortured artist, model wannabe, or fancy yourself just oooooh so special and metro-​trendy with deep deep pockets — this is the place for you. Everything in this place is incredibly overpriced. A simple set of plain frames is easily 3x the cost you would find at other places. Plain plastic frames — well over $ 300? Wire frames upwards of $ 400? Those who post that this place is «reasonably priced» are out of their minds. They do have some *interesting* stuff, but seriously… does it need to cost over $ 1000 for a pair of eye glasses? I asked if they had anything more reasonably priced and I was pointed (with attitude) at the budget case with a few dozen frames in a jumble that looked like leftovers from the 80’s.
I suppose this *IS* Boulder, so everyone has to be just silly about their over-​the-​top attitude. Unfortunately, those of us on a budget don’t meet their standards to qualify as a customer. The ladies are nice enough, but if you are not willing to take their style advice (no, I don’t want to look like a freak in bright lime or purple frames, or even those skinny chunky black plastic frames that just exude attitude) they shut down and walk away like you are scum.
Go in this place only if you are willing to have your pocket picked or if you desperately need your ego stroked (you are faaaaaaaabulous dahling, just faaaaaaabulous in those). {shudder}

Dottie is super helpful and knowledgeable. We are very happy we went here for glasses and we’ll be back in the future. Dr. Bollenbacher is great, too! Super friendly.

Aspen Eyewear has fabulous frames — they’re pricey, but they consistently have one of the most stylish, current and diverse selections I’ve ever come across. The problem is their service. It’s painfully slow and frequently comes with attitude – even from the owner. They don’t let you schedule an appointment to fit frames –only for eye exams (obviously they think their optometrist’s time is worth more than their customers’) So plan a big block of time or get there as soon as they open (although this is no guarantee). I continue to buy my glasses from them because the frame selection is so good, but each time I have to gird myself for a lengthy, less-​than-​pleasant ordeal. Good luck!

Lost my glasses on the bus (or somewhere, hence the «lost») so was looking for a quick replacement. I had also been scoping out a place to get new spectacles or perhaps some RX sport eyewear. Aspen showed up here on Unilocal as the place to go for eyewear.
I went on a Monday afternoon, it was quite busy in there, but they do have quite a few employees to help you. I could tell from listening to other things going on that the service varies depending on who you talk to.
Excellent selection of glasses, with a wide variety and types. But it still wasn’t an infinite selection as I was not able to find a decent selection of safety glasses — actually they had a lot, but none to my taste and not a selection of great variety.
I’ll leave them with an A-​OK rating for now, update to follow…

I used to live in Boulder and bought glasses here over 10 years ago. I moved to CA and could not find any great frames with my Insurance plan. I came to AEW to see if I could find a pair of frames then take them to CA for the lenses. NO problem they said and I can return them if my insurance balks. Although the frames I chose are really pricey (what isn’t anymore) the service was excellent. Dan spent 30 minutes with me searching for the right frames. I appreciated the help. I am stil mulling it over before I commit to the pair I want.

I told the person helping me that I wanted inexpensive frames… and she led me right to them, without trying to upsell! They were on clearance. She spent quite a while adjusting them so they fit correctly, then she got on the phone with my opthamologist to discuss my prescription, which I guess wasn’t very clear. There was no fancy lens treatment upselling. She really went out of her way to provide good service and best of all, my glasses were ready in one business day! For $ 100 less than I would have spent at LensCrafters, where I would have had to wait a week.

I can’t tell you much about their staff or frames selection, but I can say that the glasses repair guy was fantastic. They don’t just manage repairs that other places won’t even attempt (as it says on their website), they do a great job at it! My frames have been saved!

The good:
1. They have a huge selection. Seriously, it’s a ridiculous amount of frames.
2. The optometrist working in the back is fabulous.
The bad:
1. Their lenses are absurdly overpriced. They wanted easily three times the highest amount I’ve ever paid for lenses. They wanted $ 500 for my prescription.
2. Their frames are absurdly overpriced. The cheapest I saw were around $ 200 for a discontinued frame that averages $ 125 at other places. So at the minimum, I would have paid $ 700 for a pair of glasses from here.
3. The staff is snooty. The first lady I talked to treated me like I was some imposter coming into her exclusive country club. The next week, I went in to try on frames again. I waited around while the staff chatted in the back. Finally, I got bored and started trying on other frames. A woman came scurrying out with a desperate and scornful, «May I *help* you?» Her tone made it clear that I was doing something very wrong and that she had to stop me before I damaged their precious merchandise.

Just got a new pair of glasses here and couldn’t be happier. I told the sales lady that I was looking for square shaped glasses, slightly funky but still professional and not too expensive. In about 5 minutes I had exactly what I was looking for for a great price. They had a big selection of styles and prices and didn’t push for anything more expensive than I wanted.
Everyone at the store was friendly and helpful — I’ll definitely be back for my next pair of glasses. Good work Aspen!

This is literally the best eyeglass place I have ever been to. It is where I got the glasses you see in my userpic. And let me mention that I got the chucky 60s frames in ’98 way BEFORE it was all the rage. I am quite the trendsetter. But more to the point Aspen Eye Wear had them before they were all the rage too. So they are nifty-​keeno (look that one up young people I am sure it will be the next trendy phrase).
When I got these I had just been hit by a car on my bike on Arapahoe and the nice lady that bounced me off her window walked me into the nearest glassest place to get replacements for the ones that had been crushed. As a result I didn’t pay but seems the prices were what you would expect from «designer» glasses especially a place toating Aspen in the name.
Staff was awesome and kind if I still lived in boulder I would go back today!