7 Eye Wear Store Success Stories [2024]
The global eyewear market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.4% over the next few years. The growth is because of the changing lifestyle patterns and increased adoption of luxurious accessories.
Therefore, starting an eyewear store can be a profitable business. An eyewear shop sells sunglasses, contact lenses, and eye protection wears.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a eye wear store:
1. VUES ($40.2K/year)
Jaxx, the founder of VUES, came up with the idea for his e-commerce eyewear retailer after noticing a lack of innovation in the eyewear industry. Despite his lack of expertise in the area, Jaxx saw an opportunity to offer unique, striking designs that cater to daring individuals. By leveraging online platforms and offering customized services, VUES has been able to capture the attention of the South African eyewear market and achieve impressive growth.
How much they make: $40.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 4
VUES, an African e-commerce eyewear retailer that primarily operates in South Africa, has grown its customer base ratio to 1:7361 compared to the private Optometrist’s customer base ratio of 1:4500, through its organic online community-building strategy, and plans to pivot to a more technologically-inclined product.
2. Tomahawk Shades ($240K/year)
Andrew Shapiro, the co-founder and CEO of Tomahawk Shades, came up with the idea for his eyewear brand while doing a business management project in college. After purchasing glasses from another company, he decided to take things further and identify manufacturers, leading to the birth of Tomahawk Shades. With a focus on affordable yet high-quality eyewear, the brand has experienced a 175% increase in sales year over year.
How much they make: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 3
Tomahawk Shades, co-founded by Andrew Shapiro and his twin brother, Ryan Shapiro, is an eyewear brand that has seen a 175% increase in sales year over year, focusing on small batches of quality acetate, with an e-commerce business acting as its main area of focus to release new ideas and products.
So... can you actually make money with a eye wear store?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Mouqy ($480K/year)
Mouqy was founded by Daren Low, who recognized the increasing demand for affordable eyewear during the Covid-19 pandemic. Leveraging his experience in the digital world, Daren created Mouqy to offer high-quality, fashionable eyeglasses at affordable prices. With a focus on practical content marketing and providing a seamless user experience, Mouqy has seen early success and aims to become a go-to resource for all eyewear needs.
How much they make: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200K
Current team size: 12
Mouqy founder Daren Low discusses how he leveraged his experience in digital marketing to create a retail brand offering quality eyewear at affordable prices, with 172 unique frames currently available and targeting 1,000 frames by year's end, with the company's core online store running on Shopify and lead generation from content on WordPress CMS with performance enhanced by Gatsby and Zendesk for customer support.
So... can you actually make money with a eye wear store?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
4. Cambridge Spectacle Co. ($1.2M/year)
After working as an Optometrist and becoming inspired by the success of Warby Parker in the US, Ahmed Ejaz decided to start his own eyewear brand in the UK. He teamed up with former John Lewis Group CEO Andy Street and drew inspiration from the city of Cambridge to create high-quality glasses at fair prices. The brand quickly gained popularity and secured a deal with ASDA Opticians, leading to rapid sales and the need to fortify their supply chain.
How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
Current team size: 7
Cambridge Spectacle Co produces high-quality glasses sold directly to consumers and through ASDA Opticians, with demand leading to plans for flagship retail locations to be opened in the future, supported by friendly marketing and various tools including Monday.com, Google Workspace, and Whatsapp.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
