Warby Parker Schools Us on Glasses With a Library-Themed Store

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Open up those peepers: Warby Parker is coming to town. This supplier to in-the-know eyewear enthusiasts is hitting its stride in its third year of business, opening its first showroom in New York just last month and preparing to unveil its second standalone shop here in Boston next Friday, May 17. The move offline challenges former notions of purchasing frames online by answering that pesky question—will these fit me?

Visiting the space will be akin to exploring a library, where shoppers can expect to find titles from the company's favorite indie publishers (McSweeney's among them) alongside Warby's full collection of eyeglasses and sunglasses. Mirrors and an open layout encourage customers to freely try on pair after pair, but should you need some guidance, the uniformed staff—inspired by the blue French worker jacket synonymous with photographer Bill Cunningham—is at the ready to get advice and place orders. An on-hand optometrist will handle the prescription part of your four-eyed foes.

So why is Boston graced with this innovative e-commerce star? Well, for starters the co-founder Neil Blumenthal is a Tufts grad. We also have a hunch that our literary legacy designates a good fit, as the name Warby Parker came from characters penned by Lowell-born author Jack Kerouac.
· Prepare Your Eyeballs for Warby Parker's Boston Showroom [Racked Boston]
· Warby Parker [Official Site]