Peter Van Allen
Warby Parker, which opened at 184 Middle St. in Portland, joins a stretch that includes Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Madewell, Rough & Tumble, West Elm and other retailers.
January 23, 2025
Warby Parker sets sights on Portland, launching its first Maine store
Peter Van Allen
Warby Parker opened its first Maine store at 184 Middle St. in Portland.
Eyeglass retailer Warby Parker has opened its first Maine store, taking over a heavily traveled retail stretch in Portland's Old Port.
The store, at 184 Middle St., sits amid retailers Urban Outfitters, Rough & Tumble, Madewell, West Elm and Anthropolgie.
Warby Parker (NYSE: WRBY), which was founded in 2010 as a mail-order house sending out eyeglasses, has shifted some of its focus to storefronts. It now has more than 270 North American stores and is filling in markets in New England.
The company reported net revenue of $669.8 million in 2023, an increase of 12%. For 2024, the retailer said Nov. 7 it expects full-year net revenue of $765 million to $768 million.
New York City-based Warby Parker designs and sells what it calls "designer quality" prescription glasses. Most of the frames are priced at $95.
At a soft launch last week, Mainebiz had a chance to tour the store. The store is brightly lighted and the walls are stacked high with eyeglass frame displays.
“As part of our continued retail expansion and meeting customers where they are, our Middle Street location will allow us to connect with our Portland area customers in person and offer them affordable, holistic eye care," said Sandy Gilsenan, who is chief retail and customer experience officer at Warby Parker.
Prime retail stretch
The block has seen some changes. On the nearby corner of Exchange Street, a former Starbucks location is now the home the Maine fashion brand Rough & Tumble.
Warby Parker takes over a space that was the vintage boutique Blanche + Mimi, which moved to 195 Commercial St. A Stonewall Kitchen used to be in the space next door, at 182 Middle St. Bangor Savings still has a branch on the block, at 180 Middle St.
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Free People, a retail brand owned by Urban Outfitters, is at 123 Middle St. A James Beard award semifinalist, Gross Confection Bar, is at 172 Middle St.
Warby Parker's store is 1,077 square feet. Its landlord is Portland-based East Brown Cow, which also owns the William Widgery Thomas Block (as well as a number of nearby commercial properties). Upper floors in the building are being converted to three one- and two-bedroom private lofts as part of the East Brown Cow's Docent’s Collection, a boutique hospitality offering.
“The strength of the Old Port’s urban fabric comes from the balance between local businesses and national brands,” said Tim Soley, president and CEO of East Brown Cow.
“It’s not just about buildings.. It’s about shaping an experience that happens when you peruse storefronts; enjoying a moment that invites people to slow down and discover something new," he added. "The mix of historic character and an evolving retail landscape — from local entrepreneurs to iconic names like Warby Parker — is what helps create the Old Port’s unique energy and makes it a premier destination for both locals and visitors alike.”
For the Warby Parker site, the lease was brokered by Pete Harrington of Malone Commercial Brokers, which represented the landlord East Brown Cow.
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