In addition to its Edgeville store in Nashville, Warby will soon expand its Nashville HQ. The company is also planning to build its first optical laboratory in Rockland County, N.Y.
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NEW YORK—Warby Parker said it will open a new 34,000 square-foot optical laboratory in Sloatsburg, N.Y., a town in Rockland County, just north of New York City. The plan for the company’s first fully-owned laboratory will create up to 128 jobs over the next five years in the town, according to N.Y. Senator Charles Schumer and New York Governor Mario Cuomo, who made the announcement about the move along with WP execs.

“Warby Parker’s announcement…is tremendous news for New York and brings into sharp focus just how talented the Hudson Valley work force is," said Senator Schumer. "Over the last several months, I've worked closely with New York State and Warby Parker to make this project a reality, and today's announcement is the culmination of that vision. Warby Parker is a strong and growing New York company and today's news only expands on their New York commitment."

“Warby Parker is a fast-growing company and their new facility will bring jobs, private investment and a new economic energy to the entire region,” added Governor Cuomo. “This is another example of our administration’s efforts to improve our state’s business climate with policies to attract and retain innovative companies that create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers.”

To encourage Warby Parker to expand in New York State, Empire State Development (ESD) is providing the company with up to $1.32 million in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits. As part of the agreement, Warby Parker will invest more than $15 million to construct and outfit the new factory while creating 128 jobs over the next five years, starting with about 20 new employees, at the Sloatsburg factory. In 2014, ESD agreed to provide the company with up to $2.2 million in Excelsior tax credits if they created 145 new jobs and retained 271 in the New York City headquarters. Under the terms of both incentive offers, Warby Parker will retain the agreed-upon employment figures through 2025.

“We’re incredibly excited to open our first optical lab in Sloatsburg, Rockland County,” said Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Dave Gilboa. “We started Warby Parker with the goal of transforming the eyewear industry by offering an alternative to the overpriced and underwhelming prescription glasses on the market. Since 2010, we’ve been committed to building a business that lasts and, as we continue to scale, the lab will allow for more sustainable growth across our supply chain.”

“Since day one we’ve worked hard to provide our customers with the best shopping experience possible. As a vertically integrated brand, opening our own lab is the next step in continuing to provide remarkable customer experiences,” said Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Neil Blumenthal. “And we couldn’t be more excited to open this lab in our own backyard and bring even more jobs to the state we call home.”

Warby Parker is selling prescription eyewear and sunglasses online and in 31 retail locations across the U.S., including five locations in New York City, and intends to open additional stores by the end of the year.

In other news, Warby Parker said that it is expanding into a new office for the company’s Nashville headquarters, a location at 401 Church Street, which is twice the size of its previous space. The company is now filling two floors in the Life & Casualty Tower. As reported, the company originally opened offices in Nashville in fall 2014.

The new Nashville HQ office, a spokesperson told VMail, has approximately 100 employees and will house a showroom, which just opened to the public, featuring a full Warby Parker collection available for purchase. “We’re excited to offer the Nashville community another place to shop, while getting a feel for our corporate offices.”