Sterling Optical

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Sterling Optical is a franchised retail optical chain headquartered in Garden City, New York. There are currently 155 locations in the United States, Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

[edit] History

Sterling Optical opened in 1912 with a single store in the financial district of New York City. In 1954, a second location opened in Washington, D.C.

In 1966, Sterling Optical acquired IPCO, a retail optical chain in the northeastern United States. The chain grew to 20 stores by 1970 and to 65 by 1975. Over the next 5 years, growth doubled to almost 130 units.

In January of 1992, Sterling Optical was incorporated in New York as a result of a re-organization and the company became known as Sterling Vision, Inc. with stores operating under d/b/a Sterling Optical. During this period, Sterling Vision acquired the Site for Sore Eyes chain in California as well as another entity known as VCC, a specialized healthcare maintenance organization licensed by the California Department of Corporations. VCC employs licensed optometrists which operate under the tradename "Sterling VisionCare" in locations which are usually adjacent to a Sterling Optical location.

In 1996, the company opened 2 lasik centers named Insight Laser Centers, one in New York and the other in San Francisco. These locations have since ceased operations.

In 2005, Sterling Optical began using UPA cartoon character Mr. Magoo as their spokesman.