Aged 14, Leonard Thompson left Sheffield for London to work in a glazing factory. He learned his trade by hand-chipping glass and grinding lenses with a stone wheel. Before joining the war effort, he fitted lenses for gas masks, optics being a reserved occupation. After the war, he continued at the factory while pursuing an evening degree in optometry. His first practice was in Stoneleigh, South West London, before relocating to East Sussex and setting up in Hove.

Leonard’s son, Alan, a wayward teenager more interested in rock’n’roll, reluctantly became an optometrist. He earned a dispensing degree from City & East London Optometry College, focusing on lens and frame technology. Father and son worked together for decades, managing practices in Hove and Steyning. Their vibrant style and humour built a loyal client base, some of whom return to NICO over five decades later.

Alan, a child of the 1960s and ‘70s, modernised the business with a flair for progressive eyewear. Reflecting the cultural rebellion of the time, he sported loud suits and and long hair. The shop transformed with floor-length glass windows and bespoke fittings. A glazing lab was added downstairs, where Leonard would glaze prescription lenses in the evenings, blending tradition with modern style.

Leonard’s wife, Gwendolyn, played a crucial role in managing the practices and supporting his optometry studies. Meanwhile, Belinda joined the Hove practice as a receptionist, where she met Alan. After falling in love and starting a family with sons Max and Nico, they continued working together in the optician for years, echoing the family tradition.

When Alan’s brother Graham, an ophthalmic surgeon, suggested Cobham in Surrey needed a quality optician, the family relocated, moving to a bungalow nearby in 1992. Two miles away, a former water board building became Ellis & Thompson Opticians. They transformed it into a luxurious practice, with a large glazing lab, vast glass windows, and a bespoke walnut and purple interior. They showcased rare and desirable luxury eyewear alongside, cutting-edge lenses, and in-depth knowledge for their new customers. In time, it became a bastion of a bustling community.

When Alan recruited young vagabond Stuart Cox, he found an employee who would become a great friend. Cox worked with the family for 25 years, until his tragic passing in 2018. A ‘joker of the first order’, it was Cox who taught Nico how to glaze. Working in the lab during summer holidays, Nico began learning the craft while still at school. Encouraged by Stuart, he continued mischief-making and glasses-shaping until university.

NICO Eyewear was born from years of glazing and repairing in the lab, surrounded by old and new stock at Ellis & Thompson, now a vibrant and successful optician. A storage room above was filled with ‘dead’ stock—iconic frames waiting for a new life. Nico created a vintage collection by glazing tinted lenses into old spectacles, amassing an array of funky sunglasses. Today, NICO is the culmination of three generations’ experience, inspired to create timeless designs with inherent style. Nico aims to build on the family legacy with beautifully crafted products and a rock’n’roll spirit.