Popular eyewear brand IOLLA are bringing local centre stage in the new St James Quarter, launching a new experiential showroom and standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the biggest names in retail.
IOLLA launched in 2015, introducing a better way to buy eyewear with their offering of complete prescription glasses and sunglasses for £75. Their mission is to help people look and feel great, empowering glasses wearers to build an eyewear wardrobe thanks to their diverse range of unique frame designs and affordable price point.
The Scotland-born local business is the latest retailer to confirm its opening in Edinburgh’s new £1.7bn city centre development St James Quarter set to open at the end of June.
IOLLA will be opening its fourth location across Edinburgh and Glasgow which will feature a new style of plug-and-play shelving stations, digital screens and modular podiums, brought to life with the help of local Edinburgh design studio Splintr.
Their new showroom design will feature a 360º interactive window display and movable podiums, designed to bring the experience to the customer, replacing traditional ‘checkout’ desks.
By putting technology, adaptability, and the customer at the centre of the new design, IOLLA hope to create a customer journey within their St James Quarter showroom that is unique, fun and memorable.
Stefan Hunter, IOLLA Founder, said: “Our new St James Quarter showroom will be the most enriched customer experience we’ve ever created. Visitors can discover and journey through our brand by using our new creative touchpoints like material and manufacturing displays and an interactive try on garden.
“The St James Quarter showroom is also our biggest yet, and will give us the opportunity to truly showcase our passion for great customer service, great products and a fair price.”
Martin Perry, Director of Development for St James Quarter added: “With the first phase opening of St James Quarter just weeks away, the addition of IOLLA will help further bolster the already formidable array of local and international brands St James Quarter has to offer as we look to build a diverse offering, including some national and city ‘firsts’, that will help create a one of a kind destination.”
Since opening its doors in 2015, IOLLA have been one to watch, paving the way for local retailers and shaking up the traditional optical industry with a direct to consumer approach and designing and manufacturing in their Glasgow headquarters. Despite a challenging year for retail, the brand continued to focus on its growth by; investing in its digital strategy, expanding its design and technology teams and this year will push to increase its overall workforce by 100%.
The opening of the new showroom is a landmark moment for IOLLA, allowing the brand to branch into new territory when it comes to retail expansion and in high footfall locations.
This is the first step in an ambitious growth plan over the next 5 years for the innovative eyewear retailer, and it’s set to bring more eyes than ever to the IOLLA brand. Visit IOLLA in the St James Quarter from June 24th.
Apply now to be part of the IOLLA team at St James Quarter at jobs.iolla.com.