Rick Kennedy Jr. 1981 Celebrates 70 Years!

Rick Kennedy Jr., Class of 1981, celebrated 70 years in the eyeglass business this year—thanks to his family’s heritage. Since 1946, Kennedy & Perkins Guild Opticians has been a locally owned and family-run optical business, providing greater New Haven and shoreline area residents with state-of-the-art optical lens technology and distinctive and exclusive fashion eyewear and contact lenses.

Founded in 1946 by Richard L. Kennedy Sr., after he returned from service as a Marine in the South Pacific, the family-run business has stores also in Hamden, Guilford, Old Saybrook, Branford, and Orange. Kennedy & Perkins has over two dozen trained staff members—more than half have been with the company for 15 years or more! Today, Kennedy & Perkins Guild Opticians is run by our Rick Kennedy and his brother-in-law, J. Dart Messick, who are committed to continuing the traditions of “excellence in eye-care” that were the foundation of Richard L. Kennedy, Sr.’s vision.

For 70 years, a trained optician in the company’s New Haven central lab has personally crafted each pair of eyeglasses. Kennedy & Perkins has been voted the best optical store in New Haven County for the last 12 years by the New Haven Advocate. Rick is proud that Kennedy & Perkins is distinguished from many competitors because of three things—a well-trained staff skilled in such tricky arts as facial analysis and color analysis; great service and competitive prices; and a selection of eyewear unsurpassed in the areas, with several product lines which are exclusive to the state.” Congratulates to Rick and his family!