| l.a.Eyeworks 7386 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-931-7795 |
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| The first l.a.Eyeworks store dedicated solely to the designs of co-owners Gai Gherardi and Barbara McReynolds, at 7386 Beverly Boulevard, celebrates one year this June. The partners have transformed the face of optical retailing and design since opening the original l.a.Eyeworks store on Melrose Avenue in 1979. The sculptural 1,250 sq. foot store, designed by architect Neil Denari, transforms yet preserves a classic neighborhood retail facade. Custom furnishings created by the architect reinforce the retail function of the unique continuous suspended surface that shapes the interior. As stated by the Los Angeles Times, "The project should instantly establish him as an important architectural voice in Los Angeles." An exterior L.E.D. sign streams l.a.Eyeworks news of intent, information, and culture. | In keeping with their philosophy of working with artists, Gherardi and McReynolds commissioned artist Jim Isermann to create a permanent wall installation. Isermann's vacuum-formed panels create a high-relief precision grid along the breadth of the space. The store is uniquely Los Angeles, with collaboration between the frame designers, architect and artist deeply rooted in the city's culture. l.a.Eyeworks designs have been distributed internationally since 1984. l.a.Eyeworks' architecturally innovative retail stores on Melrose Avenue (1979) and at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa (1988) champion the forward, dynamic eyewear of global designers, and are recognized worldwide as the quintessential showplaces for the edgiest eyeglass frames. | |