Celebrate 140 years with us
Celebrating the people, places and everyday moments that have shaped LK Leon Opticians over 140 years.
140
Years of care
A lot has changed in 140 years. Join us as we look back at the people, places and everyday moments that have shaped LK Leon, from our earliest days to the practice you know today.
A story we share
Our anniversary belongs to everyone who has been part of the practice. From familiar faces to first visits, thank you for making LK Leon part of your lives and for being part of ours.
A little history. a lot of stories.
To celebrate our 140th anniversary, we’ve been looking through the photographs, receipts and records kept here at LK Leon. Together, they tell the story of our practice and the community we’re proud to be part of. We’d love to share a little of that history with you.
Styles Change But Care Continues
From the frames we wear to the ways we look after your eyes, much has changed since 1886. Today, we’re proud to carry the LK Leon story forward and to have you as part of it.
timeline
LK Leon Over the Years
1886
From Chicago to Piccadilly
Our story begins with Leon Kokocinski and Emil Danziger, who travelled from Chicago to London to establish LK Leon at 167 Piccadilly. Making and dispensing specialist frames and lenses, they begin a story of eye care that continues 140 years later.
1890
a surprising chapter on clapham common
Beyond their work as opticians, LK Leon’s founders became partners in Sequah, a business selling patent remedies through travelling salesmen. This painting captures Hartley and the Sequah crew on Clapham Common, offering a colourful glimpse into Victorian salesmanship and an unexpected connection in our history.
1900
eyewear for everyday life
An advertisement from 1900 offers a glimpse of life at our Piccadilly practice. From reading and driving to fishing and billiards, spectacles are offered for all kinds of pursuits, with a catalogue available by post for those browsing from home.
1902
everyday history kept on paper
These surviving receipts capture small moments in the working life of the practice. With handwritten accounts and illustrated letterheads, they record our Piccadilly address and our specialism in fitting frames and lenses to prescriptions.
1910
A new address, a new chapter
LK Leon moves to Piccadilly Arcade. Around this time, the founders take different paths: Leon opens an opticians in Paris, while Emil Danziger continues the London practice under the same name, making it a limited company in 1910.
1920
A closer look at innovation
This drawing from our archive, dated 16 June 1920, shows an LK Leon design for a telescopic-lens adapter for use with spectacle trial frames. Its carefully drawn views offer a fascinating glimpse into the technical work behind the practice.
1923 - 1927
The next generation
Following Emil Danziger’s death, his son Alfred takes over the practice. The family story continues, with the years that follow bringing recognition for the team’s frame-making skills, including first and third prizes in shell-frame craft examinations.
1961
A familiar face takes the helm
On 24 July, Alfred Danziger sells the practice to an existing employee, Paul F. Grabham. Already part of the LK Leon team, Paul begins a new chapter of ownership. The practice later moves to 29 New Cavendish Street and passes to his son.
Picture: The Rolling Stones outside the practice!
1989
Continuing the story
Kieran Minshull takes over LK Leon from the Grabham family. With more than a century of history behind it, the practice enters a new chapter, continuing to develop its eye care and eyewear while maintaining a personal approach to every patient.
2000
A new century of care
As LK Leon enters the new millennium, our story continues with a balance of tradition and progress. Developments in eye care and changing eyewear styles bring new possibilities, while personal service remains at the heart of the practice.
2026
140 years in eyecare
This year, we celebrate 140 years of LK Leon and everyone who has been part of it. To our patients, colleagues and neighbours, past and present: thank you. We’re proud to share this milestone with you and look forward to the years ahead.
A Closer Look
140 years have brought new faces, changing styles and remarkable advances in eye care. As we look ahead, we carry with us what has always mattered to LK Leon: taking time for people and finding the right care for each individual.
Our anniversary celebrates the people as much as the years.
To everyone who has been part of it: thank you
The team that have worked with us
The families who have placed their trust in us
The neighbours and familiar faces who make us feel like home
Your memories are part of our story too
Do you remember your first visit to LK Leon, a familiar face from years gone by, or how the practice used to look? Perhaps you have an old photograph tucked away.
As we celebrate 140 years, we’d love to hear your memories. Get in touch to share a story or photograph and help us add another piece to our history.