What is Warby Parker?
Omnichannel eyewear retailer selling prescription glasses, contacts, eye exams, and vision technology.
- Category
- Eyewear retail
- Headquarters
- New York, NY
- Founded
- 2010
- Employees
- 3,000+
- Total funding
- Public; direct listing history
- Status
- NYSE: WRBY
What is Warby Parker?
Warby Parker is a vertically integrated eyewear company that sells prescription glasses, sunglasses, contacts, eye exams, and digital vision services online and through stores. It ended Q1 2026 with 337 stores and 2.69 million active customers.
Warby Parker started in 2010 by selling designer-quality prescription glasses online at a lower price than traditional optical retailers. The company now operates an omnichannel model: customers browse frames online, use virtual try-on and prescription tools, visit stores for fitting or exams, and buy glasses, contacts, or accessories.
The business reached $871.9 million of 2025 net revenue and posted its first full-year net income, then reported Q1 2026 revenue of $242.4 million, up 8.3% year over year. Store expansion remains central: Warby Parker ended Q1 2026 with 337 stores and guided to about 50 new openings for the year.
What does Warby Parker offer?
Warby Parker offers eyewear products, vision care services, and digital tools that support frame selection and prescription renewal.
- Prescription glasses· Eyewear
- Sunglasses· Eyewear
- Contact lenses· Vision care
- Eye exams· Services
- Virtual Try-On· Digital tools
- Virtual Vision Test· Digital tools
- Retail stores· Channel
- Home try-on and ecommerce· Channel
How does Warby Parker make money?
Warby Parker makes money from eyewear sales, contact lenses, eye exams, and store-enabled repeat purchases.
The core model is retail gross margin on glasses and contacts, with services and stores increasing conversion, retention, and average revenue per customer. Warby Parker still advertises prescription glasses starting at $95, while contacts, lenses, exam services, and additional pairs create higher order values.
Growth is driven by new stores, active-customer growth, price/mix, eye exams, contacts, and digital vision tools. In Q1 2026, active customers rose to 2.69 million and average revenue per customer reached $331, showing that the business depends on repeat optical needs as much as first-pair acquisition.
Who leads Warby Parker?
Warby Parker is led by co-founders and co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa, with Adrian Mitchell joining as CFO in February 2026.
- Neil BlumenthalCo-founder and Co-CEOCo-founder, since 2010Leads brand, mission, and omnichannel growth alongside Dave Gilboa.
- Dave GilboaCo-founder and Co-CEOCo-founder, since 2010Co-leads strategy, operations, and public-company execution.
- Adrian MitchellChief Financial OfficerAppointed February 2026Former Macy's CFO/COO brought in to scale retail, finance, and operating discipline.
- Jeff RaiderCo-founder and board memberCo-founder, since 2010Part of the founding team that built the original DTC eyewear model.
How do you contact Warby Parker's leadership?
Warby Parker does not publish a verified personal executive email pattern. Use investor relations, customer support, accessibility, or store/contact pages instead of guessed executive addresses.
Personal format not verified; use public Warby Parker contact channels- Neil BlumenthalCo-founder and Co-CEOUse https://investors.warbyparker.com/resources/contact-ir/default.aspx
- Adrian MitchellChief Financial OfficerUse https://investors.warbyparker.com/resources/contact-ir/default.aspx
How much funding has Warby Parker raised?
Warby Parker is a public company, so its current capital story is direct-listing history, cash generation, and balance-sheet capacity rather than new VC rounds.
Warby Parker raised private capital before going public, then chose a direct listing on the NYSE in 2021 rather than a traditional IPO that would issue new shares for primary proceeds. The company now finances itself through operations, cash, public equity access, and normal corporate liquidity rather than venture rounds.
The current signal is improving operating performance: 2025 revenue grew to $871.9 million with first full-year net income, and Q1 2026 ended with $288.2 million in cash and cash equivalents. That gives the company capacity for stores, technology, and category expansion without needing to manufacture a private funding narrative.
How did Warby Parker get here?
Warby Parker scaled from online eyewear startup to a profitable public omnichannel optical retailer.
- 2010Company foundedNeil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andrew Hunt, and Jeff Raider launch Warby Parker.
- 2010sHome try-on and storesThe brand expands from online sales into physical retail and eye exams.
- Sep 2021NYSE direct listingWarby Parker lists publicly under WRBY.
- 2025First full-year net incomeThe company reports $871.9M of net revenue and $1.6M of net income.
- Feb 2026Adrian Mitchell named CFOFormer Macy's CFO/COO joins Warby Parker's executive team.
- Q1 2026337 stores and 2.69M active customersWarby Parker opens 14 net new stores and grows active customers 4.8% year over year.
Who are Warby Parker's competitors?
Warby Parker competes with optical retail chains, online eyewear sellers, and vertically integrated eyewear brands.
- EssilorLuxotticaGlobal eyewear and lens leader with LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Ray-Ban, and wholesale power.
- Zenni OpticalOnline value eyewear competitor with very low starting prices.
- EyeBuyDirectOnline prescription eyewear seller backed by a large optical ecosystem.
- Pair EyewearDTC eyewear brand focused on interchangeable frame toppers and personalization.
- National VisionBudget optical retailer operating America's Best and Eyeglass World.
Warby Parker — frequently asked questions
