Founded in 1929, following the US stock market crash that led to the Great Depression, two brothers began crafting eyeglass frames in their Newark, New Jersey basement. As Italian immigrants pursuing the American Dream, they built the company that would become known as Liberty Optical. 

In the 1950s, Liberty achieved mass-market success with iconic ophthalmic frame styles such as the Broker, Par, and Libby. Business boomed and operations expanded as Liberty became one of the largest optical manufacturers in the USA by 1964.

During the 1980s, Liberty led the charge to develop protective eyeglasses for athletes young and old. The distinctive look of Rec Specs goggles captured the public’s imagination as Hall of Fame athletes wore Rec Specs in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Over the last four decades, 9 out of 10 sport protective eyeglasses sold in the USA have been Rec Specs.

In the last two decades, Liberty expanded its product development mission with the engineering expertise developed from Rec Specs to introduce Performance Sunglasses Collections and the Switch Magnetic Interchange Technology line. Most recently, Liberty released the “Virtually Indestructible” Active Everyday Eyeglasses line, bringing the company back to its optical frame roots.