In 1927, Cohen started to sell a wide variety of eyewear from a pushcart in Orchard Street, New York.
Cohen's Fashion Optical was the first to offer on-premise eye examinations with qualified Doctors of Optometry.
[citation needed] On March 3, 2008, Houchens Industries completed its acquisition of Cohen's with hopes of expanding the regional optical retail chain into a national chain.
Many featured products includes brands such as Prada, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Dior, and Ray-Ban.
In April 2016, Cohen's Fashion Optical rolled out their private label collection, aimed to target the younger demographic with $99 price point glasses.