A new Erker’s flagship store has opened in St. Louis, Missouri in 2020, the latest and most luxurious in a long line of optical stores run by the Erker family through their extraordinary 141 year history.
“The Saint Louis Galleria is the premier shopping destination in Saint Louis where the top stores are located,” Jack Erker III told Eyestylist. “The customers are from many demographics and come from all over to shop with us. Our focus is the hard-to-get-quality boutique brands including two of our own, Erker’s 1879 and NW77th.”
Alongside an eclectic range of collections by Barton Perreira, Dita, Cazal, Tom Ford and Jacques Marie Mage, the Erker’s 1879 collection represents an exclusive reference to the local legacy of a company that has served its community through generations. “Since the brand has deep roots, it resonates very well within the local market,” says Erker. “Many customers travel all over and see our brand in other markets as well and this lends to deep credibility within our local market. The focus of the store is primarily our brands, and are supplemented with other niches of brands that go well with our own.”
The decoration and design of the interior is classical with a luxurious orientation in line with the high-end feel of the St Louis Galleria, with clear, eye-catching branding.
“Our brand is well known in our market and our customers still yearn for a brick and mortar store to give the service to the customers that they are used to receiving from us,” says Jack Erker when we asked about the key benefits of the store, even in the current climate. “The traffic in the mall allows us to have a larger reach to continue to grow the brand within the region. The local community is thrilled for us to be growing and it adds momentum internally within our family (employees).”
About Erker’s: Describing itself as the first optical laboratory west of the Mississippi River, Erker’s was founded in 1879 by A.P. Erker and brother, August. Today the company is led by the great-grandson Jack Jr. with his two sons, Jack III and Tony. Erker’s is one of the oldest eyewear establishments in the US with the rare claim that it is still owned by members of founding family. The family’s own extensive eyewear collection, Erker’s 1879 can be viewed directly at www.erkers1879.com. For additional information visit www.studiooptyx.com