Detroiters who wear glasses let out a collective moan when Bagley Optical moved to the suburbs. Where was a discriminating frame-head to go to find well designed spectacles?
The answer can be found
tucked away on a Southwest Detroit side street. El Valle Optical has got your Gucci, Versace, Kenneth Cole, Nicole Miller and Cynthia Rowley, and its frames are curated in a manner that is neither overwhelming nor sparse. Plus, proprietor Leticia Mota helps her customers find the perfect frame for their style and face.
Mota worked at Bagley Optical for eight years. When the shop relocated from Corktown to downtown in 2001, she opted to open her own store. She moved to her current location on Campbell Street within a block of Holy Redeemer Church in 2004. She started with just 10 customers but has grown to more than 1,000.
El Valle's main customer base is Southwest Detroit residents and workers, but Mota is eager to expand her reach. "I want to let people who don't live in Southwest Detroit know what I have," she says. "I don't see myself selling something that looks blah on (anyone's) face."
El Valle also offers eye exams. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. It is located at 940 Campbell St., just north of W. Vernor. Call 313-551-0707.
Source: Letecia Mota
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.