CLEVELAND—Blue Point Capital Partners has announced the acquisition of eyebobs, a market leader in premium reading glasses. The investment is part of the firm’s broader plan to build a unique eyewear platform designed for B2B and B2C growth. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. Eyebobs joins Blue Point’s newly formed eyewear holding company following the firm’s April 2023 platform investment in Europa Eyewear, as VMAIL previously reported. Founded in 1977 and still family-run today, Europa is one of the largest independent eyewear companies in the U.S., designed around a unique model of proprietary eyewear brands and a fully employed sales force.

Recognized for its distinctive style and art-worthy eyewear, eyebobs was founded in 2001 to address the gap between inexpensive readers sold in the mass market and designer frames sold by optical retailers. eyebobs began with a mission to “create original readers for original people” and has since transformed into a successful omnichannel brand with an exceptional product design aesthetic and a highly engaged customer base. In 2015, Norwest Equity Partners made its initial investment in eyebobs.
 
“We see tremendous opportunity for growth in the eyewear market and could not be more pleased to have Europa and eyebobs as part of our portfolio. The combined strength of these well-established companies will allow us to unlock growth for both organizations by leveraging their proprietary brands, leading design capabilities and differentiated B2B and B2C models,” said Blue Point partner John LeMay. “The Blue Point team is fully committed to providing the resources both companies need to grow.”
 
In addition to Blue Point’s experience working with family-owned businesses and its expertise within the optical industry, accomplished industry leaders Jeff Cole and Holly Rush are serving as board members and advisors to the company, providing guidance to the eyebobs management team.
 
“Europa and eyebobs have highly complementary capabilities, as well as like-minded cultures and values, making this investment a natural next step in the development of our eyewear platform,” said Blue Point operating executive Rush. "eyebobs’ distinct brand and value-proposition truly resonate with consumers. With the capabilities and strengths of Europa, we believe this is a powerful combination poised to expand the brand’s reach and capture significant growth opportunities.”

Blue Point Capital Partners is a private equity firm managing over $1.5 billion in committed capital. With resources in Cleveland, Charlotte, Seattle and Shanghai, Blue Point’s geographical footprint allows it to establish relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs and advisors while providing the perspectives and resources of a global organization.