Dive Brief:

• DTC eyewear brand Eyebuydirect has opened its first physical location in Orange County, California, according to a company press release.
• The 140-square-foot kiosk is located at The Shops at Mission Viejo shopping center and offers a pared-down product assortment of 400 pairs of both eyeglasses and sunglasses. Customers can order frames within the kiosk on iPads or visit Eyebuydirect’s website.
• The brand is also partnering with LensCrafters for eye exams, pupillary distance measurements and frame adjustments.

Dive Insight:

The announcement by Eyebuydirect comes at a time when the DTC eyewear category is heating up.

Warby Parker was among the first brands to normalize purchasing glasses online, while other brands like Zenni have grown. Zenni launched a B2B platform in March and also formed separate partnerships with actors Chase Stokes and Keke Palmer.

For Eyebuydirect, the California launch serves as a test for future brick-and-mortar locations.

"We are thrilled to embark on this exciting new chapter with the launch of our first physical showcase," Sunny Jiang, CEO of Eyebuydirect, said in a statement. "This represents a significant milestone in our journey, as we strive to enhance accessibility and convenience for our valued customers. We envision the launch of more physical touchpoints in the future."

The new store will have dedicated staff on hand to offer assistance, as well as offer services through LensCrafters; both brands are owned by parent EssilorLuxottica.

The move to open a physical space comes as other digitally native brands take their products offline to expand their reach. Kitchen brand Our Place in 2022 opened its first physical store. And Warby Parker, which operated around 240 stores as of February, is planning to open 40 new stores this year, as executives continue to see potential for a footprint of up to 900 locations.

Eyebuydirect was launched in 2006 by investor Roy Hessel as one of the first DTC eyewear brands. The company was acquired in 2013.

Eyebuydirect has been actively expanding its product ranges, now offering over 3,000 styles of glasses and sunglasses. In September of last year, the brand launched the Bio-Nylon collection, featuring 31 SKUs made from renewable, recyclable and bio-based materials. In 2021, Eyebuydirect introduced a virtual try-on feature, which uses augmented reality technology to allow the user to virtually try on glasses and see how they look.