You could say the latest Warby Parker store – which has its grand opening Saturday, May 1, at The Westchester in White Plains – has an “eye” on what makes a great shopping experience. The blue-and-white 1,691-square-foot space is pristine and well-lit; the staff, friendly and helpful; and the price, $95 for a pair of eyeglasses, certainly reasonable – and charitable. The company distributes a pair of eyeglasses to the underserved for every pair sold.
It’s things like this that make Warby Parker stand out in our mind – distributing eyeglasses also to kindergartners in New York City, Boston and Baltimore; working with artists and writers in the communities in which its stores are located to contribute artwork and haiku poems for the respective books “The Alphabet of Art at Warby Parker” and “Baby Pigeons”; offering accessories (oversize hunter green sunglasses, collapsible eyeglass cases) that are off the beaten path.
Yes, you want a great eye exam and great glasses or contacts first and foremost. But all things considered, wouldn’t you want to have that exam in a room whose wall design features figures reading in what looks like yoga poses? And wouldn’t you want to have a holistic experience as you search for the perfect eyewear for your peepers?
We’ll have more on the Warby Parker story in WAG’s June Journeys issue. But for now, we know you’ll want to run right down (or over or up) to The Westchester to check out the store and maybe score a Warby Parker tote, which contains the company’s story in 100 words – brilliant and brief.
For more, visit warbyparker.com.
– Georgette Gouveia
