Chelsee Eyes

You wouldn’t find this bargain eyewear shop unless you were looking for it, and owner Karen Burch likes it that way. For 17 years, the licensed optician has been running her practice from a huge loft hidden inside an unsuspecting Chelsea office building, relying on word of mouth—and her stellar prices—to drive business. Browse through cases of frames from big-name designers like Giorgio Armani and Dior, plus smaller European labels such as Anglo American and Lafont. Styles including metal Prada frames ($200), Alain Mikli rectangle styles ($200) and leopard-print Lafont glasses ($210) are 20 to 40 percent off what you would pay at chains like LensCrafters, thanks to Burch’s low overhead costs. And if you really want a steal, check out the sale rack for offbeat styles like neon Wayfarer-like frames ($85) and a pair of purple cat-eyes by French brand Martine Sitbon ($85).