Moscot Launches Eye-Opening Union Square Flagship

If you wear eyeglasses, you know they are meant to be used to see and also to be seen in. They are fashion statements, a means of focusing, an example of style, and a way of seeing the world.

Considering this, Moscot, a Manhattan-based fashion eyewear brand that has been in business for over a century, has accomplished something remarkable.

While celebrating its 110^th birthday, Moscot debuted cutting-edge designs with a Downtown aesthetic and a new flagship store.

Today, Moscot operates more than 25 shops in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Paris, and elsewhere, as well as five in New York City. Its eyewear is available in over 2,500 specialty retail and optical shops in over 50 countries.

The iconic New York City eyewear brand opened a Global Flagship in Union Square in January, showcasing creative designs, a custom-made tints lab, and an expanded eye care department equipped with state-of-the-art ophthalmic technology equipment.

“With Union Square as our new global flagship, we’re bringing our story full circle, rooted in New York’s heritage and infused with modern innovation,” CEO Dr. Harvey Moscot said.

He called the location a “hub for our global audience right here in the heart of Manhattan,” with the largest display of Moscot frames in the world.

Chief Design Officer Zack Moscot added, “Union Square is a hub of creativity and history, which makes it the perfect home for Moscot’s flagship.”

While the store is a milestone for Moscot, its new designs also mark Moscot as a memorable fashion brand.

“When I first started working at the shop as a young boy, I was so intrigued by how a pair of glasses could change how one looked or felt about themselves,” Zack said. “I knew I had a unique way to enter the business, not as an optician or optometrist, but as a trained designer.”

Zack collaborates with his father, Dr. Harvey Moscot, to develop ergonomic, eye-catching eyewear merging what they call “fashion with optimal functionality.”

The Moscot Collection, based on styles from the 1930s–1980s, “celebrates the classic good looks and timeless design born in decades past,” according to the company. Frame styles include period details, traditional hardware, and glass sunglass lenses harking back to the 1940s.

It’s available as ophthalmic eyewear or sunglasses in various frame and lens color combinations and sizes, with or without prescription.

Moscot offers multiple sizes in stores and via virtual try-on to find the best fit for the face.

“An important part of fit is determining where your eye sits in the frame,” Dr. Harvey Moscot added. “Your eyes should be well centered in the frame. Eyeglass frames that are too wide will make your eyes appear too close together, while narrow frames will give your eyes a wide-set look.”

Moscot started with passion, a pushcart, and persistence. Its plan has changed with the times while remaining committed to quality.

Hyman Moscot founded the company after emigrating from Eastern Europe to Ellis Island in 1899. He started selling ready-made eyeglasses from a pushcart on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side and opened an eyewear store, Moscot’s, at 94 Rivington Street in 1915.

At 15 years old in 1924, Sol joined the family business and soon took over. In 1936, the Moscot store moved to 118 Orchard Street, near Delancey Street, where it stayed for about 80 years. Sol’s son, Joel, assumed control in 1951 before his own sons took over.

Joel’s son, Dr. Harvey Moscot, joined the company in 1986 as its first doctor of optometry, launching Moscot Mobileyes Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to providing free quality eye care to those in need. He also founded

Moscot Music to support emerging downtown talent artists.

Moscot has also donated 5,000 pairs to emergency medical personnel.

Harvey’s son, Zack Moscot, who trained as an industrial designer, joined the company in 2013 as its first Chief Design Officer and fifth generation Moscot. In 2021, the company opened its shop at 94 Orchard St., on the same street where the pushcart started this all.

The 2025 designs include the Kugel, named to honor a dish served at Ratner’s Delicatessen. This design combines metal edges, acetate curves, and a Lower East Side look. The Mekler, honoring Zulu Pushkin, a runner for a New York bookie, is a bold frame.

The Mingle, is what the company calls “loud, proud, and slightly crazy in all the right ways.” The Scooch, circular spectacles with acetate cable temples, honors someone who ran errands around town. Then, there is the Schmooz, named for the president of the Lower East Side Merchants Association, with a rectangular metal frame.

Now, the legacy band is celebrating its history and laying the groundwork for its future by opening in Union Square.

“This shop isn’t just a retail space,” Dr. Harvey Moscot said. “It’s a celebration of the 110 years of craftsmanship, community, and passion that have defined Moscot.”