Coastal Contacts Inc., the parent company to Canadian e-retailer giant ClearlyContacts.ca, will open its first physical location this spring. The store will be located in downtown Vancouver on Robson Street, the city’s premiere shopping district.
“Quite simply, our customers asked for it, so we’re delivering,” said Roger Hardy, CEO of Coastal Contacts Inc. “Opening our first Canadian retail location will give us a chance to interact with our customers in a new way and deliver a more comprehensive eye care experience.”
The move comes in response to a shift by online retailers toward a hybrid model – continuing to maintain a strong online presence while opening brick-and-mortar locations where customers can interact with both company and product. The Robson street store will have optometrists on site, to offer customers sight tests. It will integrate the best of both the online and offline shopping experiences.
“We’re treating our first brick-and-mortar store as a bit of a discovery lab,” said Hardy. “As we learn more from our customers, we will incorporate their needs into future retail locations.”
Immediate retail expansion plans for the online eyewear company have not been announced, however, Hardy said more locations across Canada will follow. For more information or details around the store opening visit: www.ClearlyContacts.ca.