Check out this Wall Street Journal Online video interview of the co-founder of Warby Parker, Neil Blumenthal. So, as I just typed that name, I said to myself, "that name sounds familiar. Did he go to Tufts, or something?" Plus, he's what Tufts kids are like. So is co-founder, Dave Gilboa. Well, just looked it up and, not only did he go to Tufts, my alma mater, but he was in my very class of 2002. Well I'll be darned.
Go Jumbos!
He went on to the prestigious Wharton School of Business at UPenn, where he met his co-founders.
What does Warby Parker do? Well, in case you didn't click on the earlier hyperlink, they sell prescription eyeglasses for $95. If you've ever bought yourself some glasses, you're probably wondering how that's possible. "Vertical integration," like those drug dealers in the Miami Vice movie that most people thought sucked but I liked so much that I saw it twice in the theater and bought the DVD.
Since you can't try them on in a store (though I saw on line that I can go to the local Standard Hotel on South Beach and try on), you pick 5 frames and they send them to you for 5 days so you can try them out and keep one. It's kind of like a combination between Toms "shoes" (if you can even call them that) and Bonobos, the greatest brand in the history of mankind. Only difference is that they're not outrageously expensive.
I had planned on giving them a shot before learning about the Tufts roots. I am now pretty much definitely 100% for sure going to buy some definitely without a doubt.
Ok, I have to add one more video from Time. Man these guys are awesome! Sorry to keep using that word. I recently decided to use "fantastic" when I would have used the now played out word "awesome," but my hands are kind of tied what with the name of the blog and all. Sorry for blogging.
