Summer Travel Tip: Make an ‘Insightful’ Side Trip to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont for a Look at America’s ‘Vision’ Story

NEW YORK—As many Northeasterners know, there are a thousand reasons to visit New England in the summertime. Let’s make that one thousand and one this year, with the recent opening of the “Eyesight & Insight: Lens on American Art” exhibit at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vt. The unique exhibit, looking at America’s history of creative response to perceptions of vision, opened May 15 and runs until Oct. 16. There’s also an online component to the exhibit, for those who don’t have Vermont in their summer travel itineraries. (Heck, I’d go to Vermont just to visit the Ben and Jerry’s factory experience in Waterbury.)

Super Optical International Is Purchased by Engineering and Software Executive

CINCINNATI, Ohio—Lyric Optical, doing business as Super Optical International, maker of the FastGrind Modified Lens Surfacing System and other optical products, announced the completion of a 100 percent sale of the company to Andy Hawes, an engineering and software executive. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. The previous owners of the Cincinnati-based company include Don Gilman, John Corsini and Hugh McManus. Gilman and Corsini have announced their retirement from the optical industry. McManus, who joined the company in 2012 and has worked on customer satisfaction, product development and quality control, will remain with the company and lead the sales team.

Zeiss’s Half-Year Revenue Up 20 Percent Over Year-Ago

OBERKOCHEN, Germany—Despite challenging market conditions, the Zeiss Group continued to make significant gains in the first half of fiscal year 2021/22 ending March 31, 2022. Revenue increased by 20 percent to €4.1 billion versus €3.4 billion in the prior year. At €736 million, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were also significantly higher than the €591 million in the prior-year period. The EBIT margin is 18 percent. The high level of incoming orders also continued in the first half of the new fiscal year, with incoming orders increasing to €5.49 billion versus €4.20 billion in year-ago period.

The National Average for Gross Revenue at ECP Locations Decreased for the Week of May 9-15, Jobson’s Latest Practice Performance Tracker Shows

NEW YORK—The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week, May 9-15, at a rate of -2 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 7 index points above where it was at this point in time (week 20) when compared with last year and 12 points above 2019. Gross revenue during Week 20 of 2020 was 42 index points below Week 20 of this year at a level of 68 index points, as it continued to gradually emerge from the pandemic-related low of 14 index points it had reached during Week 15 of 2020, according to Jobson’s most recent Practice Performance Tracker.

Warby Parker Reports 10 Percent Increase in Q1 Sales as ‘Active’ Customer Count Climbs 18 Percent, But Net Loss Also Widens

NEW YORK—Against a backdrop of disruption due to the Omicron variant that was first felt in the last weeks of December and continuing through the first quarter, Warby Parker Inc. (NYSE: WRBY) on Monday reported that its Q1 revenue rose 10.3 percent to $153.2 million as both active customer count and average revenue per customer increased also in the quarter ended March 31. However, the retailer's net loss totaled $34.1 million in the quarter, primarily as a result of an increase in SG&A (selling, general and administrative) expenses, according to its announcement.