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PALM SPRINGS, Fla.—My Eyelab, a retail brand of Now Optics, said it is moving ahead with its “vision of modernizing the eyecare experience for all people” as it continues to build out its franchising model even in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, the My Eyelab banner “has already [seen] immense growth for the brand with 23 units in development, 15 of which were sold in the first half of the year,” a recent My Eyelab announcement noted. The “in development” status means “the franchise agreement has been signed and [the franchisees] are either scouting out locations for the store or building it out,” a spokesman told VMAIL. (The other eight units in development were “sold” last year, the company noted.)

My Eyelab also has six new franchise stores that have opened this year. Overall, My Eyelab has 41 franchise locations and 47 corporate-owned locations in operation. Parent company Now Optics (which also owns Stanton Optical has 186 eyecare practice locations overall, an executive told VMAIL.

The new My Eyelab openings and signings mark a 40 percent growth rate in franchise development activities over 2019. The banner is on track to reach 55 franchise units by year end, according to the announcement.

In addition, the spokesman told VMAIL that franchise net sales for “same stores open both years [2019 and 2020] have increased by 50 percent” this year even while operating in the coronavirus pandemic environment. The company attributed this achievement to its telehealth capabilities, which allowed the company to keep locations operating while other eyecare practices were closed.

To date, the company has conducted more than 800,000 telehealth eye exams, something no other optical franchise can offer, the company noted in its announcement.

The franchise locations in development will greatly increase the presence of My Eyelab in Texas, the company noted, with half of Austin being developed by a new franchisee to the system. Also, a single-unit operator in Dallas is developing five more stores.

The My Eyelab brand continues to see “expanding growth in Houston with franchise groups there,” the announcement said, and noted that the company also is developing five locations in southwest Texas. Other areas of the country where My Eyelab stores are slated to open include Miami and Atlanta.

“Now more than ever people are looking for eyecare that is safe, convenient and affordable,” Now Optics founder and chief executive officer Daniel Stanton said. “We look forward to filling that need as we partner with hard-working and ambitious entrepreneurs across the country, whether or not they have a background in optometry.”

To continue its growth trajectory, My Eyelab said it is seeking qualified franchise partners that share the same vision and have a passion for managing their own business.