I have been wearing the Kawasaki Sarah Palin glasses and just love the style. Since the eye stores in my town do not carry this brand I looked on line and found Urban Optiques. I cannot say enough how well my requests were handled by telephone and receiving exactly what I was looking for. Tom who helped me was outstanding and provided such wonderful help and getting my glasses ordered perfectly for the size and demo glass. Wish I was closer to actually go into the store. I recommend this company for any and all online or telephone orders if you live out of state. Thank you for your excellent service. I have ordered twice and Tom remembered who I was as a long distance customer and received my new frames super fast. I was totally shocked. Will definitely order with them again. Donna D. read more

More than just being a cute place and having some great-looking eyewear, this place goes out of its way for its clients. I was impressed with the way Dr. Cardwell made room in her schedule at the drop of a hat to see me when I had a vision disturbance, and was very thorough in following up with me - even calling me on the weekend to see how I was doing. In subsequent visits, the office has always been incredibly accommodating. Despite it's downtown Northville location, I've never had an issue with parking. My only wish would be that they had more seats in their busy office, as the waiting room is often filled and the seats are few. Having moved recently from Ann Arbor, I was looking for a new optometrist. I'll be doing all my eye business here from now on, and can't wait to get some new cute glasses from their phenomenal collection! read more

I've actually never had an issue with this business. I've been going for a few years now and the staff has always been incredibly kind and helpful. Yes, the orders do take in a bit of time to fill (~2-3 weeks minimum) and the glasses tend to be expensive. However they reason for the length of time is quality. My last pair took about 4 weeks to come in because they weren't happy with the finished product the first time. So, they redid them so I'd have the best glasses possible for my chosen frames. If there are any delays Urban Optiques called as soon as they were made aware. The price also has to do with quality. As long as you take care of them they last for years. The only reason I'm about to get my third pair is because I lost my 1st pair and my new puppy just ate my second pair. I'm completely happy with my experience here and would gladly recommend others. read more

Still the best place I've found for hard to fit contact lenses. The staff is very friendly, and works hard to please. However, this is not your mega marts optometrist, so be patient; it may take some time to get your glasses made. Contrary to my prior review, they no longer carry the Chrome Hearts. Understandably so. However, they now carry a British brand that is nearly 100% customizable that also has a two year warranty. Still pay a pretty penny, but you don't have to buy new for two+ years! read more

Great alternative to corporate eyecare chains. Rob, the owner, was pleasant, thorough, and made my eye exam very comfortable. The two women working there were super helpful when it came to choosing frames; they presented me with a lot of options. They also explained my insurance coverage in detail. Frame selection was exciting -- many frames that I liked. Whew. Glad I found this place. read more

Well this started off as a good review. I had my appointment on January 6. The assistant (Carla, I believe) was very nice and extremely helpful. She spent a lot of time helping me pick out a pair of frames. Be prepared to spend some $$ as the brand name frames are not cheap. But they wouldn't be brand name if they were. I love the Chrome Hearts brand and this place has the best selection! However, when it finally came time for my actual exam, I felt as if I was annoying the Doctor. I'll be the first to admit, I can never tell if A or B looks better. They honestly always appear the same. She asked if my vision goes blurry and detected I may have dry eyes. So I will give them points for this, as it's never been brought up before. However, when I shared that I had what I thought was a large retina, she made me feel very small when she stated it must be a large optic nerve. She dilated my eyes and I was back to the waiting area to finish my frame selection. Basically just to pay, as I had pretty much made my decision prior to the exam. I was rung up and waited the usual 25 minutes.....and waited some more.....and kept waiting....All in all I think I was waiting for about 40 minutes. I'm not really sure what the extra time was for but I did notice the Doctor and receptionist were chatting in a back room/lab area. Granted, I don't know what the chatting was about but it kept me waiting extra long and I was a little irritated. It seemed as if the Doctor herself was irritated when I asked the assistant what the hold up was. AND then it seemed as if she was rushing through the last part. Umm sorry to have interrupted? NOW to the part that has really gotten me irritated. I was told my new glasses would be in in about a week to a week and a half. I started getting a little worried on Tuesday (January 18) when I hadn't heard from anyone. I decided to call and talked to what seemed to be an irritated(so much irritation)receptionist, who said they are supposed to be done Thursday. Great, so I called on that Thursday (January 20) and was told by the same receptionist, "I'm pretty sure they came in, let me just double check." My first question was, if they came in, why wouldn't I have been called as I was calling them at 5 pm. Well that didn't matter because as it turns out, they weren't in! She gave me a story of the lab realizing the Transistions Extra Active didn't pass final inspection....ok so why would you think they came in, as the lab is not in house? I do appreciate a final inspection...She said they should be done tomorrow (January 21) if they pass the inspection, if not then Monday. Well surprise, they came in Monday (January 24). When I finally picked them up, the assistant was quick to get my glasses. The receptionist was talking on the phone to another customer. It seems she (the receptionist) had forgotten to order the Transitions and stated to Carla, "OK I only make mistakes like 3 times a year, but can you double check that I put in the order for transitions on the final inspection." Hmm I'm thinking it wasn't the labs fault now on why my glasses took so long. I so wanted to love this local shop as I had read the great reviews, and loved their website. But with the service I've received, I don't think I'll be returning and just can't recommend them for a new prescription. If you want some excellent non prescription sunglasses, DEFINITELY check out their selection. This is the reason for the 3 stars opposed to 2. Sadly, the service could be improved. Maybe I've just kept catching them on "off nights"? read more

I had an experience very similar to Rochelle's! I ordered contacts and was told they would be there in a week or two. At my questioning, the receptionist Lindsey said that I would get a call to come pick them up. Nobody called me. I stopped by after two weeks. They were not there. I called in another week. The irritated receptionist put me on hold to check if they had come in, which they had not. I asked to be called when they arrived, which was never done. I called in another two weeks, the same irritated receptionist went to check, and they were there. I also suffered from office delays (being seen more than 30 minutes after my appointment and being made to wait with dilated eyes while the doctor and her "friendly" receptionist conferred on something unrelated to me in the back room). I left with the impression that the doctor was struggling with her staff, which affected her services, and her mood. One anecdote: While waiting to be seen, an older gentleman came in asking for his medical file because he and his wife "were moving". The coldness with which he was treated told me more about how this shop values clients than all the money they have spent on their cool website. I was trying this local shop for the first time because I want to support small local businesses. I don't think I'll be returning and I just can't recommend it. read more

Urban Optiques is awesome! Dr. Cardwell discovered that my retina was detaching through a routine eye exam. She told me to go see a retina specialist and they acted fast and did my surgery. I am forever grateful to her. I ordered some FRED glasses. There were a couple of hiccups with the lab that slowed down the process of me getting my glasses expeditiously (the only reason i gave 4 out of 5 stars), but when I got them, I LOVED THEM. They have a uniquely designed lens that I adore. Again, I thank Dr. Cardwell and her friendly and helpful staff. read more

Everyone at Urban Optiques are professionals, that will treat you like an old friend. They always have time for you and will be honest if you look terrible in frames. They carry Frances Klein glasses which are the most beautiful and addictive glasses around. read more

Simply said - A GREAT EXPERIENCE! Michelle is a phenomenal doc and when you couple that with her obvious passion for her shop and eyewear in general, the place cannot be beat! I HIGHLY recommend it! read more

Recently I visited Urban Optiques for the first time, while visiting the quaint downtown of Northville, Michigan. As soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted promptly by the manager, Lindsey. She was polite, and offered me a cup of coffee upon my arrival for my exam. Dr. Michelle was thorough and quite kind and honest. They have a fantastic selection of frames, and albeit they do not sell Made in China trash, and they do have some pricey frames, I was happy to pay a little more knowing I would receive something unique and backed by a warranty! It only took a few days to get my glasses in, and they promptly called me as soon as they arrived. Overall, I am disappointed to hear that someone else had a "mediocre" experience, because I experienced quite the opposite. I will be going back to Urban Optiques for years to come and will happily recommend my friends and family! read more

This place is a hot mess! My daughter went in for an annual eye exam. She ordered a year supply of contacts due to her studying overseas for the next year. They said they would arrive in a couple of weeks to a month. Why in the world would it take that long for contacts? She called them a month later and they said they had the lenses for the right eye but they don't have the left contacts in yet. She picked the right contacts. She called several weeks later to inquire about her left eye lens and they said oh yeah they are here. By then she had used several of the right lenses and asked if they could give her enough so that the pairs were equal. They did but they gave her the wrong prescription. I'm not sure what a year is in the eye world but a year of daily lenses to me is 364 days worth. She only was given 120 lenses. They called back for her hsa card number because they failed to keep it to charge her card. Now she is questioning whether they charged her for a year supply versus four months worth. I would not recommend this place, go to Costco! Four months later she is back to trying to figure out how she is going to get her contacts in time when she leaves for England in a few weeks. I hope they can at least give her a receipt and a copy of her prescription so we can get these purchased somewhere else before she leaves. read more

NEVER GOING THERE AGAIN! Sure everyone's nice when you can finally talk to someone! They don't answer the phone when they're there. The emergency number isa joke. It to the same place as all the other prompts with no answer. They way over charge. They try to pass themselves off as a boutique and even though they're suppose to be high end glasses, they're more like knock offs from China or $10 glasses from Wal-Mart. They messed my order up, both pairs that I spent about $1, 000 on, the screws fell out. The prescription is wrong AND they aren't necessarily open when they say they are...and if you think I didn't call first, see 3rd sentence. Very unprofessional! read more

Buyer beware!!! Ridiculously high cost for limited frame seletion !!!! Be sure to have them tell you about all the up-front costs !!!! Basic exam is over $100 - frames over $500. Extremely limited selection. I wouldn't be surprised if this place goes out of business based upon the extremely poor service and the disrespect for their customer. read more

Will never return!!! Ordered glasses 8 weeks ago was told that it would take 2 to 3 weeks for them to come in. As of today I still don't have my glasses or an explanation as to where they might be or how much longer it will be. When you pay, nearly $1,700.00 up front for a product, you expect a least a little bit of customer service. Not the case here!!! Have repeatedly called and left messages and even emailed but still no response. Very, very, very displeased!!! read more

I have owned several premium brands of progressive lenses.....Urban Optiques put me into Zeiss progressive lenses and I am very impressed with the clarity and lack of distortion. read more

First off all i would like to start out that my 10 o'clock appointment didn't actually happen until 10:45 as Dr. Cardwell just strolled into the office as if my time was of no importance. Then to my horror she sat down and continued a conversation on her cell phone and made me wait another ten minutes while she took care of a personal call. Second, I went to the Optical Shop after seeing all the brands they carry on their website. However to my disappointment they didn't have half of what they said. The frames that they did have were older models and were still sold at "new" prices. I felt as Dr. Cardwell rushed thru my exam to get the end result which was trying to sell me a pair of frames that after my "great" insurance as she said would still end up costing me almost 350.00. The receptionist did offer me coffee and kept up a nice conversation to occupy my time. All in all i was at the office for over a hour and a half while sitting there waiting for my dilation to take effect and listening to here argue with her phone company over her cell phone not working as it should. Needless to say i will not go back there and have spread the word to my coworkers. read more

Unfortunately, too many bad experiences too chalk up this experience to an off day. My first visit, while filling out paperwork I was subjected to the desk assistant being horribly condescending and downright rude to someone on the phone. I was then treated to waiting 40 min past my appt time until seeing the doc, no apology from Dr Cardwell or her assistant. On my second follow up visit, she did not have the equipment she needed to look at my eye properly and sent me to TLC in Ann Arbor. After an additional $425 to them, the issue was nothing at all. She knew I did not have insurance and therefore could not purchase my contacts after the $600 bill between her and TLC so I waited until I could afford it again. When I called to get my contact prescription, I was told I would have to pay an additional $45 since it had been six months. Bottomline: rude service, over priced frames, ill equipped office if there is anything out of the ordinary and are not understanding to the uninsured. Beware!! read more

Save yourself a lot of hassle - Don't go to this establishment. I had a scratched lens on my eyewear and brought my glasses into Urban Optiques a month ago to get the lens repaired. They told me initially it would be two weeks. After two weeks I called to see if/when they would be ready and after waiting 10 minutes on hold was told they were not in yet. I called the next week, same story. On hold for five minutes. Call back - maybe they forgot me. Nope, put me on hold for another 7 minutes, just to tell me that they aren't in yet. Yesterday I had had enough and told them, just give me my glasses back. Two hours later was told my glasses were in. I asked at that time to speak with the manager. Not available. No call back. Arrived this morning to pick up my glasses. They aren't in yet. No explanation as to why it has been a month, no explanation as to why I was told they were ready to be picked up and weren't. NO explanation. Just a blank stare looking back at me. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, ever. In fact if anyone asks me I'll tell them this is the worst service I've had in a very, very long time. I wonder if I'll ever get my glasses back. read more

My experience at Urban Optiques was negative, which I am not certain how much weight may have been in regards to my being a groupon customer (which should not have been a factor since the company chose to use that method to attract clientele) and not desiring to spend what to my budget is excessive for eye glass needs, which may only last 2yrs. OR simply the last part, that i did not desire to spend over my budget, in which the lowest price exceeded (even with MY $200 Groupon cash deal). I have shopped in high end eye glass stores (such as Ann Arbor, and was able to purchase a frame for $175 at SEE). I think Telling me one week the lowest price is $200, and coming back 2 weeks later and told the lowest frame starting price is $250 is poor service (this not including the additional lens price that I will pay). How can I know as a customer, since no frames are marked, that I am not being given an off cuff price at any given time for a frame. I don't understand companies not being "open" and up front about pricing in 1st place. BUT I will take responsibility that when I tried to find out prices online before buying the groupon, that were not available, I didn't call the shop first to ask about prices. My mistake. I wrote an honest statement of what I needed on my intake, and how I could not afford high price glasses, that I wanted and needed basic at good fair price. BUT before I was seen for my 1st appt, the sales pitch began. And carried thru the entire time of my appointment, and 2nd visit, since the staff/DR didn't tell me upon making my 1st appt, they wouldnt finish it all in one session (ie dilation... & an expected other advertised test that they don't do, since the DR is not an Ophthalmologist). SO I drove from Washtenaw County back to Northville, to finish another appt 2 weeks later and ended up with only my prescription, deciding NOT TO USE my groupon cash due to not willing to pay addl $150 or more to get the lowest price frame glasses even available. Many people may be willing to pay $500 or even $1000 or more for glasses, but I have purchased expensive and inexpensive in the past, and they both had the same approx "life" AND neither were "fixable" when the frame broke, as told they couldn't refit my lenses to new frames and the orig was no longer available. Therefore spending $200 every 2 years instead of $1000 or more, for 1yr prescription and glasses that may be replaced in 2 yrs, makes more financial responsible sense to me! And getting great respectable customer service no matter what you can spend, also makes sense. I was not asked on the way out if I needed anything, per dialation and eyesight; the Dr was very gruff, and no other patients where in office the entire time. By the way, there was a great employee there on 2nd visit, very pleasant regardless of the circumstance and she knows who she is. Thank you! PS The WEBSITE states they do an important visual field test; but the staff states DR didnt do because they cant afford equipment; then said bc she wasnt certified as Ophthalmologist. read more

Fast, friendly service and amazing technical wizardry. 'Walked in hoping to find a pair of glasses (purchased elsewhere) I lost on the street. No luck w/that but they referred me to the mall lost & found office. I'm not sure I ever found it but I did find some maintenance guys who knew something about my glasses -- they fished two lenses and a trampled frame from a trash can. I took this sorry looking mangled mess back up to Rob doubting that anything useful could be salvaged, even to tide me over until I could get them replaced. In less than 15 minutes he had me on my way. I have no idea how he did it, nor do I care: other than some cosmetic stuff that I can't see w/o my glasses (that's why I wear them, after all!), they look, feel and work as good as new. I do wish I could show the before and after condition, though. The surprise transformation from expensive junk to essentially like new far exceeded any reasonable expectation. Thanks again, Rob. read more