Boutiques

Continuing its roll-out of new stores with a focus on cities closer to home, MYKITA has opened their first Hamburg store at Neuer Wall 88.

Located between the city’s canals and shopping boulevards, the shop brings the distinctively modern design aesthetic of the Berlin brand to the heritage-listed Stadthöfe, a recently restored architectural ensemble steeped in baroque and neo-renaissance style.

The fourth shop to open in Germany, it offers MYKITA’s comprehensive range of optical services using state-of-the-art instruments from optical partner, Zeiss. The full MYKITA product portfolio is available – the ultra-light stainless steel eyewear designs, mixed material models, and award-winning MYKITA MYLON collection made with 3D printing technology – as well as the design collaborations with Maison Margiela, Helmut Lang, and Leica.

Neon signage marks the street-level shop location in the ‘Palaishaus’ built in 1881. Once inside the six-metre high doorway, visitors are welcomed into a modern, warm atmosphere with a seated consultation area, providing an unrushed and comfortable space to receive a personal and professional optical service. Eyes are immediately drawn to the open mezzanine level and the view of the optical lab and workshop used for in-store frame adjustments and lens fittings. Construction details and furnishings in a deep orange shade break up the reigning warm, neutral tones of wood and stone.

In addition to the MYKITA Shop Hamburg, the brand now has 14 shops worldwide, including locations in Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Cartagena, Los Angeles, Monterrey, Munich, New York, Paris, Taipei, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich. For more information visit www.mykita.com

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

A new ‘Framed Opticians’ has opened this month in Chorlton in the UK featuring a selection of fresh independent collections. Beech Road in Chorlton (Manchester) provided an exciting, long-awaited opportunity for the independent optical retailer to expand with the opening of its third shop. The area offers a wealth of like minded, independent and ethical business, and a thriving community, committed to supporting small businesses and ‘shopping small’. It’s also full of fashion-aware individuals, who see their eyewear as an accessory through which they can express their style.

The store has a brand new, minimal design combining natural wood textures, with graphic lines and muted colours of grey and terracotta. With focus on eyewear styling, the staff have many years of experience under their belt; whether customers visit knowing exactly what they want, feel stuck in a stylerut, or need guidance on what suits them, the team are on hand to help them choose something that fits perfectly, suiting their style and personality, and most importantly, something enjoyable to wear. The boutique is currently stocking independent brands like Moscot, Booth&Bruce, and some special, colourful design lines such as FACE A FACE.

All customers require is an up-to-date prescription, and one of the shop’s optical experts will guide them in the correct lens and eyewear choices. Through the pandemic and current restrictions, the shop is open for customers “by appointment” and for passers-by in restricted  numbers. Framed Opticians has two other branches in London (Angel) and central Manchester (King Street). Framed Opticians, 113 Beech Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9EQ Find out more: www.framedopticians.co.uk