Moscot
THE MOSCOT HISTORY
MOSCOT is a New York City institution renowned worldwide for its iconic eyewear. MOSCOT infuses its unmistakably refined, downtown aesthetic with over 100 years of eyewear expertise and unparalleled craftsmanship to create its timeless eyewear. While now recognized as a global fashion brand, MOSCOT remains, at heart, a neighborhood optical Shop.
The MOSCOT optical roots were first planted in America by great Grandfather, Hyman Moscot, who arrived from Eastern Europe via Ellis Island in 1899. Hyman began selling ready-made eyeglasses from a pushcart on Orchard Street on Manhattan’s famed Lower East Side.
By 1915, having amassed a following of loyal customers, Hyman opened the family’s first retail Shop, MOSCOT’s at 94 Rivington Street, and the rest, as they say, is history!
In 1925, Hyman’s son, Sol, at the tender age of only 15, joined the family business and helped take over the reins. By 1936, MOSCOT was settled at 118 Orchard Street, on the corner of Delancey Street, which would be its home for the next eight decades.
Sol’s son, Joel, began presiding over the “House of MOSCOT” in 1951. Charming, dedicated, and devoted to his customers, Joel quickly made his mark— overseeing the Shop and conveying the family’s values to his sons, who would soon become the fourth generation of Moscots to take the helm.
In 1986, Joel’s son, Dr. Harvey Moscot, entered the family business as the first Doctor of Optometry. He not only founded the MOSCOT Mobileyes non-profit to give back to New York City but also started MOSCOT Music to support up-and-coming artists in the downtown community – and continues to look for ways to give back to the community.
In March 2013, Harvey’s son, Zack Moscot, a formally trained industrial designer, came on board, making him the first Chief Design Officer and fifth generation Moscot to join the family business.
After 106 years in business, in October 2021, MOSCOT moved the ‘cart’ down the block one final time. Opening their original Shop in 1915 at 94 Rivington Street, one could call it fate that over a century later, the eyewear purveyor makes a permanent home at 94 Orchard Street!
With over a century of expertise, MOSCOT has successfully opened more than 25 Shops around the globe, from Los Angeles to London and Tokyo to Paris, to add to its five Shops in New York City. Today MOSCOT is available in over 2,500 specialty
retail and optical shops in over 50 countries.
