Warby Parker was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2010 by friends Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider. The company operates an eCommerce site, and more recently, stores which feature prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.
Today, the company has headquarters in New York City, New York. Originally, the company only sold online and had the unique idea which allowed potential clients to “try on” up to 5 pairs of glasses, then choose the one they would like to have. The company has been so successful that it now has 35 brick and mortar locations. Warby Parker offers inexpensive, yet stylish frames. In April of 2015, the company was estimated to be worth $1.2 billion.
In 2016, the company opened a large office in the L&C tower in downtown Nashville, TN. The 28,000 square foot facility is part showroom and part office with over 100 customer service agents working there daily. The company plans to eventually employ 250 customer service representatives there. As of May 2019, the company has expanded to 90 brick and mortar locations.
The CEO was one of 180 that signed a pro-life/anti-abortion restriction letter that stated attempts to limit a woman’s right to choose hurts businesses. This letter was published as a full-page ad in the New York Times on June 9th, 2019.
The company can sell cheaper frames because all styles are designed in house, all work is done in their own plants, and glasses are shipped directly to customers. Warby Parker also has a “buy one donate one” program, where for every pair of glasses purchased, they donate money to the non-profit company Vision Springs, which provides eyeglasses for low-income countries as a means of sponsoring entrepreneurship.
Although the company doesn’t speak openly about their revenue, it’s estimated that they had annual revenue in 2017 of $250 million and the company appears destined to go public soon.
History
Warby Parker was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2010 by friends Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider. The company operates an eCommerce site, and more recently, stores which feature prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.
Today, the company has headquarters in New York City, New York. Originally, the company only sold online and had the unique idea which allowed potential clients to “try on” up to 5 pairs of glasses, then choose the one they would like to have. The company has been so successful that it now has 35 brick and mortar locations. Warby Parker offers inexpensive, yet stylish frames. In April of 2015, the company was estimated to be worth $1.2 billion.
In 2016, the company opened a large office in the L&C tower in downtown Nashville, TN. The 28,000 square foot facility is part showroom and part office with over 100 customer service agents working there daily. The company plans to eventually employ 250 customer service representatives there. As of May 2019, the company has expanded to 90 brick and mortar locations.
The CEO was one of 180 that signed a pro-life/anti-abortion restriction letter that stated attempts to limit a woman’s right to choose hurts businesses. This letter was published as a full-page ad in the New York Times on June 9th, 2019.
The company can sell cheaper frames because all styles are designed in house, all work is done in their own plants, and glasses are shipped directly to customers. Warby Parker also has a “buy one donate one” program, where for every pair of glasses purchased, they donate money to the non-profit company Vision Springs, which provides eyeglasses for low-income countries as a means of sponsoring entrepreneurship.
Although the company doesn’t speak openly about their revenue, it’s estimated that they had annual revenue in 2017 of $250 million and the company appears destined to go public soon.