Gary Black is the Founder and President of Black Optical, a passionate, curated eyewear retailer that has built a reputation as a tastemaker in eyewear, but whose identity is deeply rooted in building a community around its founding belief that great design can exist anywhere.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2007, Black Optical established itself as a leading curator in a rapidly growing industry. Gary grew his vision to include two other successful locations, in Oklahoma City and Dallas, which deliver on his vision. From the beginning, Black Optical set out to achieve three things: to curate and retail the best eyewear in the world, to welcome and care for every client like a friend and to create aesthetic environments that inspire.

Industry leaders at InVision Mag and community tastemakers D Magazine, Tulsa People and Oklahoma Mag have recognized Black Optical for community building and retail excellence. In 2016 the Milan-based MIDO declared Gary’s Oklahoma City location one of “the best optical stores in the world.” In both 2019 & 2020, The Vision Council nominated Black Optical as one of the Top 5 Independent Eyewear Retailers in the World.

As a leader in the eyewear industry, Black Optical has collaborated with several designers including New Orleans-based Krewe and LA-based Jacques Marie Mage.