By Staff
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 12:21 AM
PALM SPRINGS, Fla.—Now Optics, a leading eye health provider under the retail brands
Stanton Optical and
My Eyelab, has announced a new business team of experienced executives to lead its franchise development. Since launching the franchise business in 2016 under the My Eyelab brand, the company has opened nearly 30 stores and has an additional 65 locations in various stages of operations and development, according to an announcement on Monday.
By Staff
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 12:18 AM
HOUSTON—
Texas State Optical, the member-owned cooperative based here, announced last week the results of its recent election of directors and board officers. The positons became effective July 1, the announcement noted. The following TSO board members will serve as the organization's reappointed officers: Dr. Phong Pham of Houston, chair of the vendor relations committee; Dr. Leigha Nielsen of New Braunfels, Texas, chair of the membership committee; Dr. Stephen Stanfield of San Marcos, Texas, chair of the nominations committee; Dr. Jonathan Sher of McKinney, Texas, chair of the professional affairs committee; and outside director and non-shareholder C. Edward Buffington of Rancho Cordova, Calif.
By Staff
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 12:24 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Yesterday, the Trump administration set forth two sub-lists of tariff numbers included in the fourth tranche of China 301 tariffs scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2019 and Dec. 15, 2019. This means that Chinese-origin spectacle lenses, spectacle frames, sunglasses, reading glasses, eyeglasses, safety glasses, goggles and many low vision devices will be subject to an additional 10 percent tariff on those dates, according to an alert
The Vision Council sent to its members late yesterday.
By Staff
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 12:16 AM
MASON, Ohio—Several new
Pearle Vision EyeCare Centers are planned to open soon in central Florida, according to a recent company announcement. Licensed owner Kim Dawson will open the first of three EyeCare Centers in the Windermere and Winter Garden areas of Florida in 2020, the announcement noted. Pearle Vision’s area development program grants territories to qualified candidates to develop and open new locations, the company has noted of its franchising program. This type of development program allows for steady and predictable growth in a specific territory with a specific business team.
By Staff
Friday, August 9, 2019 12:18 AM
PITTSBURGH, Pa.—
Highmark Health, the second largest integrated health care delivery and financing network in the nation, on Thursday reported first-half financial results showing an excess of revenue over expenses of $629 million and an operating gain of $410 million. The firm credited “strong sales” at its
Visionworks optical retail unit, as well as other factors, as contributing to the group's “extended positive financial momentum.” Total consolidated revenues for Highmark Health were $9.2 billion for the first six months of the year, which compared with just under $9.4 billion in the year-ago period, the announcement noted.
By Staff
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 12:18 AM
SCHIPHOL, the Netherlands—
GrandVision NV (EURONEXT:GVNV) has acquired 100 percent of Graffiti Holding AG, which holds 100 percent of McOptic, according to an announcement late last week. McOptic is the third-largest optical retailer in Switzerland with an estimated market share of 5 percent via its Swiss business Visilab, the announcement noted. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. McOptic was founded in 1998 and operates 62 stores, which are concentrated in the German speaking parts of the country, according to the announcement.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:15 AM
CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—
EssilorLuxottica (Reuters:
ESLX.PA) announced today that it will significantly expand its retail footprint through an agreement with Hal Optical Investments B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HAL Holding N.V. to acquire HAL’s controlling interest in
GrandVision, a global optical retail powerhouse with over 7,200 stores worldwide, over 37,000 employees and €3.7 billion in annual revenue. Financial analysts valued the deal at €7.1billion, and see it as a sign that tensions between Essilor and Luxottica are easing following months of bickering between the French and Italian partners over the company’s governance.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 12:24 AM
DALLAS—
Riata Capital Group announced Tuesday that its portfolio company
Acuity Eyecare Group (AEG), an owner and operator of leading North American eyecare groups and optometry practices, has acquired 11 regional eyecare practices in Texas. These acquisitions are the first for AEG in the Texas market. The terms of the deals were not disclosed. The acquisitions include:
•
EyeTx Vision Centers: Founded in 1985, EyeTx Vision Centers operates six locations across San Antonio. EyeTx optometrists are therapeutic and glaucoma certified. They specialize in routine eyecare, contact lens and gas permeable fittings, bi-focal contact lens fitting, kerotoconus fittings and ortho-K fittings, according to the announcement. Cleinman Performance Partners served as the exclusive advisor for EyeTx Vision Centers.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 12:21 AM
DALLAS—
My Eyelab a retail brand of
Now Optics, a leading eye health provider offering accessible and affordable eyecare and eyewear, announced an expanded retail presence in eight Dallas/Fort Worth market locations including Irving, McKinney, Fort Worth, Hurst, Denton, Plano, Garland, and Rockwall with opening dates between Aug. 5 and Oct. 28. Due to the company’s growth, stores are hiring for about 50 positions in a variety of roles, the announcement said. According to Tom Duggan, vice president of operations for My Eyelab, the uptick in population, growth, and development in the Dallas/Fort Worth market are positive indicators for our company’s expansion.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 12:15 AM
NEW YORK—
Jobson Optical Research’s 2019 Optical Retailer Report & Directory is now available. The directory contains a comprehensive list of the top optical retailers in the U.S., including contact information for the company headquarters, key executives, buyer names for all product categories, and trade names/DBAs. The list includes about 70 headquarter locations. In addition, the report and directory includes
Vision Monday’s annual
“Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers” ranking and analysis, which includes 2018 estimated sales and business unity counts for each retailer.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 12:21 AM
SAN ANTONIO, Texas—
Visionworks has launched a new brand campaign, “See the Difference," that the optical retail company said will position it for a “new phase of growth.” The campaign is designed to introduce audiences “to a comedic cast of villainous eyecare executives intent on making the industry as complex as possible,” Visionworks said in its announcement on Monday. The multimedia effort also is intended to show audiences that "eyecare really doesn't have to be that difficult," the announcement noted.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2019 12:18 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—As the Group of 20 Nations (“G20”) Summit concluded on June 29, President Trump announced that the U.S. would hold off at this time from assessing additional customs duties on the remaining $300 billion in Chinese imports. Instead, the U.S. and China agreed to restart talks toward achieving a negotiated settlement to the ongoing trade war between the two countries. In addition, President Trump announced at the G20 that the ban imposed last month by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Chinese tech giant Huawei would be lifted so that U.S. companies can continue to sell to it, a significant concession to China.
By Staff
Thursday, June 27, 2019 10:15 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Global announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire San Antonio, Texas-based
Visionworks, subject to completion of regulatory approval. With a footprint of more than 700 stores in nearly 40 states, the Visionworks acquisition will be the single largest VSP network investment in the company’s 65-year history, the company said. “This transaction is highly complementary to our business and marks a significant leap forward in continuing to fulfill our vision to provide access to affordable, high-quality eyecare and eyewear to more people,” said Michael Guyette, president and CEO of VSP Global. “With expanded nationwide access, we’ll provide our clients and members with an option for a more substantial, consistent and sustainable retail experience, further enhanced by the professional care of VSP network doctors.”
By Staff
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 12:27 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Global enters brick-and-mortar retailing today with the opening of the company’s first two
Eyeconic stores in the country, located in the Chicago market. The Bucktown location has had a soft opening since mid-June and will have a grand opening on June 29, while the second will be in Fulton Market opening on July 13 , the company said. In an interview with
VMAIL, Bill Vaughan, president of VSP Retail, described some of the thinking and planning that went into creating the digital and merchandising features of the new locations.
By Staff
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 12:21 AM
DALLAS—
Riata Capital Group reported that its portfolio company
Acuity Eyecare Group has acquired
Carlsson Family Eye Center, a single-location practice based in Gilbert, Ariz., a town about 25 miles southeast of Phoenix. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Acuity, which was formed in 2017 owns and operates 108 eyecare practice locations across eight states under 10 different local brands following its most recent acquisition. In addition, the firm operates a large, full-service digital lab operation. The firm previously this month reported that it had closed on three separate acquisitions, as
VMAIL reported.