Next Eyewear

I’ve gotten all my glasses here since 2008 because of the impeccable service. Friends I’ve referred here have also been very impressed.
First, the selection is excellent — and of that large selection, the staff will expertly direct you to frames that are a great match for your face and style.
Second, the lenses are of high quality and the staff will advise you on the materials that make sense for your frames/​prescription/​lifestyle. They keep good records on each customer so will even know what you ordered last time.
Third, Next is easy to work with on the logistics, such as flexible spending and other billing details.
Fourth, and most importantly, once you’re a customer, you are taken care of. I’ve stopped in many times for adjustment to make sure my frames are still fitting well or even for repairs, and these have been done with a smile and at no charge.

I purchased my glasses from here years ago and sent my mom here to buy glasses as well. The workers are so nice and the glasses are awesome! Also, prices are great as well.

came in because one of the little pieces on the bridge of my sunglasses fell off hoping they’d be able to repair it. for $ 5 they found matching pieces (the two clear pieces that support the glasses on your nose) and fixed it within 10 min. :)

Melissa picks out just the right frame… and Next Eyeware stands behind its products. What else do you need. Great quality, great service, charming owners. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Don’t need glasses? Go for the artwork!

I found this shop years ago after spending lots of time in a German city, looking at every eyewear shop in town which means A LOT of shops, but for naught. Same here in Berkeley. When I walked into Next, Melissa looked at me, pulled out 3 pairs of frames, and the first one I tried on was IT! And I’ve never gone elsewhere since. Plus I always purchase half-​off frames. Have brought many friends and relatives here. She is pure genius plus she’s smart and very nice. The absolute best place to go for frames.

Beautiful frames but a bit slow… hang around and you’ll get a great pair of glasses. It took two fittings for me to get them right, but they made them work.

Have a drawer full of glasses ALL from Next! Melissa and Rick are incredible in every way!

Wow! This is an incredible eye glass store. Every time I go in there they are the most helpful and caring practitioners of optical solutions. Besides the fact that they have a wonderful selection of unique and beautiful frames, the personal assistance is second to none. In particular, Melissa is out of this world helpful. She goes above and beyond to solve any problems and find the perfect pair of glasses. When I was first tasked with finding a new pair of frames, I was worried that the challenge would take multiple trips to multiple stores. This was my first stop and Melissa quickly laid out a multitude of options that would fit my face, in total I was there for 20 peaceful and relaxing minutes. Truly cannot say enough great things about this store and Melissa in particular.

Wanted to begin my search for new frames and this was my first, and last, stop. Happened to be headed to a gathering in concord and searched for a place to peruse on the way. Wandered in and Rick, the owner, ended up helping me to find a different style than I was used to. He went out of his way to bring me quite a selection to try on, which was a bit overwhelming at first, but very helpful overall. He helped me to find something I liked and I ended up buying them that day (and, no, it wasn’t just because I was hesitant to go back to lens crafters).
Overall i experienced great customer service and a variety of slightly edgier frames to choose from. From what I heard they’re constantly getting in new frames and getting rid of their old ones, which means you can expect the latest and greatest styles. Tip: get an eye exam before and bring your prescription. They can do the lenses.
Even if you aren’t just dropping by the area like I was, I think it’s worth a trip. Plus there plenty of other stuff that’s on the block to make a whole day of it.

I don’t wear glasses — but a trip to Next Eyewear made me sure wish I didn’t have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision.
I came in on a whim with a friend. We’d been aiming for a place up the street, but saw this little, sweetly decorated window complete with robots and popped in. A really bright girl with wild pink specs was attentive, listened to what my friend was thinking about in terms of frames, and immediately began helping him select different frames to try within the range of styles he’d said he was interested in.
She was super nice during the laborious process of selecting frames, putting them on him, having me take a picture and then having him put his current pair of glasses back on so he could see himself (yes, there are mirrors in Next, but my friend has pretty unique vision). She was able to recommend frames that would work well with his prescription, too, which was pretty cool.
The frame selection itself at Next was my favorite part of the experience. There were so many eclectic, fun, funky, off-​beat frames — along with enough standards for someone who loves to color inside the lines.
Oh, and the prices were crazy reasonable.
Totally recommend this place with one caveat: it does take a little longer than expected to get the frames and lenses.

A colleague recommended Next Eyewear to me several years ago, and since then I have bought several pairs of glasses and sunglasses from this amazing gem of a shop. Yes, their frames tend to be expensive, but they are top notch in terms of comfort, style and uniqueness. Their lenses are also expensive, but I’ve had great success with them — no scratches or loss of clear coating to worry about. Plus, Next can do progressive lenses in very narrow frames — few eyeglass shops can do that successfully — so that alone is a reason to shop here if you wear progressive lenses and don’t want huge glasses. The service is consistently amazing here. Melissa is an absolute expert. She was tied up the last time I went in, and the two other people who helped me pick out frames did a top notch job. I’ve never experienced any sales pressure here. The staff are happy for you to come in and try on frames, and you get the definite sense that they really want you to find the right glasses. I highly recommend Next for great frames, great lenses and great service.

I changed my review to 5 stars after they let us bring and exchange the frame after almost 1 year or so to select and excellent frame.

Love love love the glasses I got from here. They specialize in crafty, small brands that make small batches of eyewear so it’s always unique! Also great service. A lens popped out and the plastic nose rests came off and both times I just walked in and they took them, fixed them, and cleaned them free of charge in under 5 minutes. Can’t wait to buy another pair.

There are a lot of good things about this place, including a great retro-​futuristic décor and general artistic feel, good selection of funky frames, and location in the awesome Rockridge neighborhood (close to BART!).
Customer service is where it’s at, and these guys do it better than any optician’s shop I’ve ever visited. That’s why they get five stars. I was a nearly full-​time contacts-​wearer for most of my life until I walked in to this place, got a pair of frames I really liked (thanks to the friendly, stylish clerk Samantha who helped pick them out), and suddenly I got over my lifelong aversion to wearing glasses in public. They got multiple complements as soon as I started wearing them around town. Rick and Mel, the couple who own the shop, are also always extremely nice and helpful whenever I’ve worked with them.
They don’t just sell you glasses. They try to find a good frame, and before they send you out the door they take great pains to make absolutely SURE they fit comfortably. My massively large Irish head thanks them for the effort.
The only bad thing is that many of the frames are expensive, and most likely your insurance doesn’t cover them. But you can buy frames from them, get them filled elsewhere, and come back here. Heck, you can buy your glasses somewhere else and come in here and they will still help you out if your frames aren’t comfortable. They are about helping the customer, not just taking your money. .. which is why they DESERVE your money!

I found Next Eyewear through their glowing reviews on Unilocal and thought I would stop by since I’ve been wearing glasses for 7 years and haven’t bought a new pair in 5 years!!! Holy smokes, it’s about time!
Came here and everything the reviews say are true; above all else, their service is 5 star. They have a lot of different styles, shapes and colors. In my opinion, they were a bit pricey, especially for non fashion brands… Maybe I’m just a label whore, but I wouldn’t pay $ 250 for a non fashion brand label, but I’d pay $ 400 for a brand? Shallow I know, but being brutally honest. Also, no fashion brands, they have a lot of contemporary styles and colors which was great.
Anyways, the guy who helped me was very nice and had GREAT suggestions. He let me look around by myself first and then he started picking out shapes and styles that would compliment my face. Man, was he on point! I was surprised that he could pick out the type of frames that I would like. I ended up not making a purchase that day, because I wanted to compare and look around, but still 5 star review nonetheless.

I’ve been going to this place since 2009. They have a great selection of frames, and Melissa and Samantha are really helpful. I went in yesterday and Samantha picked out the perfect pair for me and I bought them on the spot. Simple as that. I suppose she knows my tastes after 3 years, but I’m sure both are great even the first time. I really like this place and recommend it highly.
It’s worth spending the money on good glasses. The quality of their frames and lenses are great, and you will get your money’s worth. They also have a nice selection of discount frames. I’ve had my glasses for 3 years now and they are still in excellent condition.

I’ve been buying frames here for several years (since back when I lived in SF) and have always been happy with the selection and super helpful and knowledgeable staff.
They have a nice range of frames from conservative to funky, and many they carry are so unique that only like 10 – 15 pairs are made in Paris for international distribution, so you’re extremely unlikely to run into someone else wearing your glasses.
Each pair sold here, whether super-​unique or moderately unique, is still the only pair of its kind sold at that location.
The same staff has been there for years too; they do well to retain their people. They don’t do exams here, but they do offer competitive/​decent pricing for putting lenses in the frames.
This is handy for people like me who do not carry eye insurance – most of us. If you have insurance I think there’s less benefit for you here in terms of pricing, but the service and selection are still fabulous.
Another nice thing to note is there’s usually a sale shelf or two in the back; nice deals as low as $ 125.
So glad I live closer now, but I’d still happily come from SF to do business here.

Just happened to drop in. What a wonderful surprise this shop is. The interior is welcoming and artful — literally. The walls and displays are peppered with the lively, colorful abstract paintings of Melissa Oehler, one of the two wonderful opticians that I worked with. Melissa looked at my face and then plucked the perfect pair of glasses off of a shelf. The glasses are amazing — creative, fashionable, genderbending and everything else great. i have received almost daily compliments on them.
Melissa talked me into trying progressives again. I’ve tried twice previously with disappointing results. Previous complaints including a chile relleno attacking me as I was trying to eat lunch because of how the progressives messed with my vision. But this time — either because these folks make superior progressives and/​or my eyes have gotten so much worse that the progressives are finally less suffering that dangling single vision glasses off one ear so I can read my phone. Anyway these new lens are so great I took in the glasses I had just gotten elsewhere 7 months previously and had them switch out the single vision lens. And then I returned for yet another new wonderful pair also selected by Melissa. Both Melissa and Samantha know their business — get a sense of what you’re looking for and then help just enough without being intrusive in any way. I’ve been in when it was slow and also when it was very busy — beware of weekends — and they are just so easy, friendly and pleasant to work with. And they are sincere — wonderful people who are good at what they do. Rick, the owner is also great.
Ready to get a third job so I can get that perfect retro but modern hornrimish number that was my second choice last month. Perhaps they can start a glasses of the month club for us eyewear junkies.

My husband was working at the Hudson Bay Café a few doors down– and I happened upon this funky little optical shop! What luck, they were having a sale.
This optical boutique struck me as very «Rockridge»: small, clean-​lined, with a bright, fun selection and a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The three opticians were personable, thorough, enthusiastic, and very friendly. The woman I worked with was helpful without being overbearing; offered good advice without being «salewoman-​y»; and helped me experience a very casual, fun shopping experience.
Of course, I walked out with $ 150 dollar highly discounted titanium frames that help me embrace my inner nerd. What’s not to love?
I’ll be back! The added bonus was the decent selection of «petite» frames with nosepads: perfect for my Asian bridge!

I now DO have glasses from Next Eyewear! And I have to say: HOW ARE THERE NO PICTURES ON HERE YET?
How? I mean, you look at a freaking restaurant on Unilocal,you get 500 pictures of truffle-​sprinkled french fries or whatever. You can’t taste that! It could taste terrible! All you can do is look at it! But you go to a salon or an eyeglass store, where the way things look is part of the point, and… nothing! Not a picture to be found.
Well, I am changing that now. Change with me! Use that cameraphone for good!
Anyway, I have the best glasses ever. I am now in the Cool Glasses Club. You know, when you compliment frames that you love, and you’re secure in the knowledge that yours are just as fabulous (or even better)? Instead of yearning for the other person’s cool glasses? And then they compliment yours right back, because your frames are so awesome?
THAT’S ME!
This has never happened before. I had frames that looked nice on my face… but that’s it. Plain brown or grey or tortoiseshell frames. I was afraid to even get red ones, for pete’s sake. What if they clashed with my clothes? What if they stood out too much?
I was finally ready to spring for the good stuff. I went to the magical Next Eyewear. I was there pretty close to closing time, but they were very patient with me. I tried on a ton of frames, I had my friends throwing frames into the mix, I had the nice people who work there throwing frames in… and each one was a little better than the last. But none of them was THE ONE.
It was like each pair was a synthesis of everything good about all the pairs that had come before it. I was staring at two that each had a ton of awesome qualities. But neither of them was THE ONE.
And I made the crucial decision to pick neither. Because I didn’t want an *almost* perfectly right pair of frames. I wanted THE ONE. And now I knew what I wanted. I don’t remember exactly what it was; I wanted these particular colors, I wanted this particular shape, I wanted something bold and interesting, and there were probably a few other variables too.
I don’t remember who found these frames. I think it was the goddess who worked there who was like, «Oh! Then try THIS.» And the heavens opened and the angels sang smooth jazz and this pair of glasses appeared. A pair that fit my face and fit all my criteria and was dazzling and gorgeous and interesting and bold.
That was at least a year ago. And I haven’t stopped getting compliments on them since!