Itâs crept in slowly: longtime New York establishments have slowly shuttered their doors, replaced by unobtainable high-rise condos, trendy shops with $100 tee shirts, and the feeling that everything you once knew no longer exists. The neighborhoods are changing and taking history with it.
Landmarks like Studio 54 and CBGB came and went. Bleecker Bobâs Record Store closed after four vibrant decades. And De Robertis pastry shop in the East Village ended its 114-year run earlier this year. The Lower East Sideâs Streitâs Matzo Factory, which opened for business a century ago, is just the latest victim.
However, Moscot, an eyewear brand so synonymous with the City that its frames are recognized all across the globe, seems to be a last-man-standing in a rapidly changing metropolisâand even they were booted from their store at 118 Orchard Street to make way for new developments.

âWe were determined not to leave,â Dr. Harvey Moscot, the fourth generation heir to the business told The Daily Beast while discussing the brandâs centennial anniversary. âWe were born on Orchard Street and we will die on Orchard Street.â Luckily, they secured a 20-year-lease just across the street (at 108 Orchard Street), protecting them from the drastic rent hikes that have forced other family-run institutions across the downtown area out of business or out of Manhattan.
Moscotâs history is rich, and moving. In 1915, fresh from Eastern Europe, Hyman Moscot began selling cheap, ready-made eyeglasses from his pushcart on Orchard Street. Serving the many immigrants that poured into the Lower East Side, he spoke little English but had a knack for optometry and was dead set on living the American dream.
Soon, the pushcart went stationary. Hyman opened his first retail store on nearby Rivington Street and his 15-year-old son, Sol, took over. He moved the business to its Orchard Street outpost, where it sat for almost eight decades.
The mustard-yellow sign with giant, black-rimed glasses that adorned its storefront became synonymous with the neighborhood and downtown New York.
But much has changed since the early days of the twentieth century. Eyewear has transformed into a fashion accessory, becoming as shoppable as next seasonâs âitâ bag or a must-have winter coat. And with that came competition.
Conglomerates like Luxotica, which was formed in 1961, took over the market. They design and sell over 80% of the worldâs major eyewear brands, including Ray-Ban, Persol, Prada and Miu Miu.
Luxury brand Oliver Peopleâs opened in 1986. And start-up favorite Warby Parker began offering stylish frames (and lenses) at extremely affordable prices only five years ago. Theyâve rapidly become a quick-and-easy staple amongst both the masses and the fashion savvy.
So what sets the mom-and-pop style of Moscot apart from its millennial rivals? Its familial customer service, for one. âSol was very personal, as was the customer service,â Harvey said. âHe would write personalized thank you letters to customers who referred others, discounts perhaps, and during World War II, he gave away free eyewear. We try to keep the same level of exemplary customer service that we have for the past 80 years.â
Today, the family still recognizes its customers, making sure employees carry on with the utmost respect to Solâs traditions. Harvey even founded Moscot Mobileyes in 2008, which gives free eye exams and frames to underprivileged kids and victims of abuse. Their next big outing is to a new charity that houses sexually trafficked women.

Competitive brands have only recently incorporated a do-gooder attitude within their manifestos. Moscot was founded upon it one-hundred-years ago.
They also keep everything in-house. Wendy Simmons, the brandâs co-president, acts as concept designer and photographer for all of their campaigns. They donât pay for advertising and produce all marketing materials themselves, just as former generations once did.
As for the product, the designers constantly return to archived classics when looking for the next seasonâs inspiration.
âThe shape has always been really important,â Zack Moscot, Harveyâs son and product designer, said. âPeople recognize a Moscot frame by its shape, so we are trying to create that identity with new frames, based on what weâve always done.â
The frameâs vintage appeal keeps it consistently cool and contemporary when collaborating with fashion favorites like BLK DNM and Ace Hotel as well as musicians Myles Kennedy and The Rootsâbecause music runs deep within their veins.
Harvey, an avid guitarist, haphazardly spawned Moscot Music during a quiet, rainy day. A friend stopped in and they began performing, which spawned the idea for a once-a-month concert for the public.
Now, the company hosts up-and-coming bands such as Bret Dennen, Young Guns, Little Daylight and award winners Matt & Kim, who were patients of Harveyâs for years. Itâs a bit of a throwback to iconic venues from the neighborhood that no longer existâlike CBGB, which gave a start to greats like Patti Smith, Blondie, The Ramones, B-52s, and Talking Heads.
Gearing up for celebrations over the next year, Moscot has limited edition frames, special memorabilia, and a few monumental fundraisers and concerts planned for commemoration.
But, in the midst of celebrating the past, the Moscot family has kept a beady eye on the future. Having already expanded twice in New Yorkâa flagship store in Greenwich Village and an outpost in Brooklynâthe brand saw its first overseas expansion last year. The location: an up-and-coming neighborhood in Seoul, much like the Lower East Side once was.
âThe following and the loyalty there is very high,â Harvey said of the partnership with their Korean distributors. âAnd they really appreciated our New York story. They understood our brand and understood our values and we are confident that they can replicate them in their culture.â
And, with its new Orchard Street home secured, they are ready to take on the rest of the world.