A one-stop shop for trendy—and affordable—specs and sunnies is making its way into Harbor East this spring.
Warby Parker, the 6-year-old eyewear startup which currently operates more than 20 stores nationwide, will debut its first Maryland location in a portion of the former City Sports space at 809 Aliceanna Street.
Shortly after City Sports closed its doors last summer, high-end men’s clothier Brooks Brothers snagged 5,000-square-feet of the vacant property, leaving Harbor East Management in search of a tenant to fill more than 1,000-square-feet of space leftover.
“It is a testament to Baltimore, and to the city’s savvy fashion clientele, that Harbor East continues to attract such contemporary and notable national retailers, like Warby Parker,” says Megan McCloskey, director of marketing at Harbor East Management. “With a unique approach to the eyewear market, as well as an established and loyal online following, the brand will be a true complement to the existing shops in the neighborhood.”
Cleverly named after characters in a Jack Kerouac novel, Warby Parker will highlight its expansive collection of funky frames (including its signature tortoise-shell designs) for men and women, and even feature an onsite optometrist if shoppers are in need of a new prescription.
The New York-based brand, which prides itself on its $95-per-frame price point, originated when co-founders Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa saw a need for affordable designer eyewear. The company is also known for its global outreach efforts, like its “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” campaign that has distributed more than one million pairs of glasses to people in need.
The founders have no doubt that the store, which will join the likes of Free People, J. Crew, Madewell, and Under Armour, will find its footing in Baltimore’s “luxury-district.”
“We’re incredibly excited to be opening our doors in a city with so much historical heft and literary history,” says Blumenthal. “We look forward to exploring the town’s landmarks, reading Baltimore authors, getting to know our future neighbors, and increasing our companywide crab consumption by at least 500 percent.”