design:retail - June 2019 - 17

JUNE 2019

EXPERIENCE

DESIGN:RETAIL

CLICKS & MORTAR

Eyeing the
Customer
ONLINE EYEWEAR BRAND EYEBOBS SEES
A CLEAR FUTURE IN BRICK AND MORTAR,
OPENING "BRAND CENTERS" WHERE THE
FOCUS IS ALL ON THE CUSTOMER
By Lola Thélin

seem to be on the rise, there's
reason for it. It's estimated that 218 million
Americans wear nonprescription sunglasses and
32.6 million Americans wear over-the-counter
reading glasses, according to The Vision Council.
With these stats on their side, Minneapolis-based
online eyewear brand eyebobs, which sells allin pricing for frames and lenses, expanded its
presence with its first two brick-and-mortar locations-one in its backyard at the Mall of America,
and the other in Orlando, Fla., at the Florida Mall-
in late 2018. Their third and fourth stores in Denver
and Boston opened in early 2019.
"The individualized shopping experience
eyebobs provides is unique to the industry, and
it's generating more than just sales," says Joe
Prebich, marketing vice president at eyebobs. "Our
brand affinity and awareness has grown as well,
meeting our initial goals of building the brand in
all channels."
Founded in 2011, eyebobs' growth was brought
on by the 2016 hiring of Mike Hollenstein as
CEO. In October 2017, he launched a retail lab in
their Minneapolis headquarters that coincided
with the launch of a prescription offering in the
fall of 2017. Both were a success, and Hollenstein
moved forward with the opening of the 868-sq.-ft.
Minneapolis and 1,137-sq.-ft. Orlando stores. The
stores embody the brand's edgy aesthetic. The
Orlando store features pops of bright yellow, with
some of the world's most famous works of art wearing eyebobs glasses.
While the design elements and looks of the store
are an important part of reinforcing the personality
of the brand, Prebich adds that it is ultimately about
the customers. "When we talk about a premium
product experience, customer service is central
and critical. Trained eyebobs frame-ists are looking

TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF DUSTIN BROOKS/EYEBOBS BOTTOM: PHOTO BY STEVE BLUONT

➞ IF EYEWEAR BRANDS

beyond which frames match face shapes. Instead,
the focus is shifted to identifying style, character
and, overall, how a consumer wants the world to
see them. Brand centers are crucial to this process."
To continue to capture this momentum, eyebobs
is furthering expanding into broad metro cities,
with brick-and-mortar stores scheduled in Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis-St. Paul. By year's
end, eyebobs will have a total of 10 brand centers
across the nation, translating into a 130 percent
storefront growth. Keep an eye on it.

[Top] The new
eyebobs brand
center in Denver
at the Cherry
Creek Mall.

[Bottom] Famous
works of art in
the Orlando,
Fla., store are
updated with
eyebobs glasses.



design:retail - June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - June 2019

design:retail - June 2019
Contents
From the Editor
Insider Insights
Happenings
Site Visit: Time More
Window Watching: Coach at Macy’s
Clicks & Mortar: Parachute
Spec Sheet: Salone Del Mobile
Brand Immersion: Harman Intl.
Clicks & Mortar: Eyebobs
Site Visit: Foot Locker Power Store
Hands On: Shakespeare & Co.
On Trend: Walmart
Perspectives: Augmented Experience
By the Numbers: Bopis
2019 Show Guide
Zhongshu Bookstore
Alibaba’s Freshippo
Hybrid Retail
Zara
5 Questions For...
design:retail - June 2019 - Intro
design:retail - June 2019 - design:retail - June 2019
design:retail - June 2019 - Cover2
design:retail - June 2019 - 1
design:retail - June 2019 - Contents
design:retail - June 2019 - 3
design:retail - June 2019 - 4
design:retail - June 2019 - 5
design:retail - June 2019 - From the Editor
design:retail - June 2019 - 7
design:retail - June 2019 - Insider Insights
design:retail - June 2019 - Happenings
design:retail - June 2019 - Site Visit: Time More
design:retail - June 2019 - 11
design:retail - June 2019 - Window Watching: Coach at Macy’s
design:retail - June 2019 - 13
design:retail - June 2019 - Clicks & Mortar: Parachute
design:retail - June 2019 - Spec Sheet: Salone Del Mobile
design:retail - June 2019 - Brand Immersion: Harman Intl.
design:retail - June 2019 - TRCover1
design:retail - June 2019 - TR2
design:retail - June 2019 - TR3
design:retail - June 2019 - TR4
design:retail - June 2019 - TR5
design:retail - June 2019 - TR6
design:retail - June 2019 - TR7
design:retail - June 2019 - TR8
design:retail - June 2019 - TR9
design:retail - June 2019 - TRCover4
design:retail - June 2019 - Clicks & Mortar: Eyebobs
design:retail - June 2019 - Site Visit: Foot Locker Power Store
design:retail - June 2019 - 19
design:retail - June 2019 - Hands On: Shakespeare & Co.
design:retail - June 2019 - 21
design:retail - June 2019 - On Trend: Walmart
design:retail - June 2019 - 23
design:retail - June 2019 - 24
design:retail - June 2019 - 25
design:retail - June 2019 - Perspectives: Augmented Experience
design:retail - June 2019 - By the Numbers: Bopis
design:retail - June 2019 - 2019 Show Guide
design:retail - June 2019 - 29
design:retail - June 2019 - 30
design:retail - June 2019 - 31
design:retail - June 2019 - 32
design:retail - June 2019 - 33
design:retail - June 2019 - 34
design:retail - June 2019 - 35
design:retail - June 2019 - 36
design:retail - June 2019 - 37
design:retail - June 2019 - 38
design:retail - June 2019 - 39
design:retail - June 2019 - 40
design:retail - June 2019 - 41
design:retail - June 2019 - Zhongshu Bookstore
design:retail - June 2019 - 43
design:retail - June 2019 - 44
design:retail - June 2019 - 45
design:retail - June 2019 - 46
design:retail - June 2019 - 47
design:retail - June 2019 - 48
design:retail - June 2019 - OPCover1
design:retail - June 2019 - OP2
design:retail - June 2019 - OP3
design:retail - June 2019 - OP4
design:retail - June 2019 - OP5
design:retail - June 2019 - OP6
design:retail - June 2019 - OP7
design:retail - June 2019 - OP8
design:retail - June 2019 - OP9
design:retail - June 2019 - OP10
design:retail - June 2019 - OP11
design:retail - June 2019 - OP12
design:retail - June 2019 - OP13
design:retail - June 2019 - OP14
design:retail - June 2019 - OP15
design:retail - June 2019 - OP16
design:retail - June 2019 - OP17
design:retail - June 2019 - OP18
design:retail - June 2019 - OP19
design:retail - June 2019 - OPCover4
design:retail - June 2019 - 49
design:retail - June 2019 - 50
design:retail - June 2019 - 51
design:retail - June 2019 - Alibaba’s Freshippo
design:retail - June 2019 - 53
design:retail - June 2019 - 54
design:retail - June 2019 - 55
design:retail - June 2019 - 56
design:retail - June 2019 - 57
design:retail - June 2019 - 58
design:retail - June 2019 - 59
design:retail - June 2019 - Hybrid Retail
design:retail - June 2019 - 61
design:retail - June 2019 - 62
design:retail - June 2019 - 63
design:retail - June 2019 - 64
design:retail - June 2019 - RXCover1
design:retail - June 2019 - RX2
design:retail - June 2019 - RX3
design:retail - June 2019 - RX4
design:retail - June 2019 - RX5
design:retail - June 2019 - RX6
design:retail - June 2019 - RX7
design:retail - June 2019 - RXCover4
design:retail - June 2019 - 65
design:retail - June 2019 - 66
design:retail - June 2019 - 67
design:retail - June 2019 - Zara
design:retail - June 2019 - 69
design:retail - June 2019 - 70
design:retail - June 2019 - 71
design:retail - June 2019 - 72
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design:retail - June 2019 - 74
design:retail - June 2019 - 75
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design:retail - June 2019 - 78
design:retail - June 2019 - 79
design:retail - June 2019 - 5 Questions For...
design:retail - June 2019 - Cover3
design:retail - June 2019 - Cover4
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201503
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201501
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/designretail_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/ddi_20131112
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