NEW YORK—In a renovated space within a long-term New York Upper East Side landmark building, Warby Parker opened its third Manhattan retail location this past weekend, its first two-story store, featuring two eye exam rooms, literature-filled reading nooks and an honor bar.

In an upscale neighborhood, at the corner of Lexington Avenue and 82nd Street, the new store is in the home of the former Lascoff Drugs pharmacy, which dates to 1899 and closed two years ago. It features 21-foot cathedral ceilings, gothic windows and terrazzo floors. The company is emphasizing the installation of a pneumatic tube system to transport glasses from one level to another. Warby Parker’s press materials note, “A third of New York City’s mail used to be carried by pneumatic tube…We still think it’s an underrated mode of transportation. Employees at Lexington Ave. will operate the store’s tube system to convey glasses and monocles from floor to floor.”


Further, the Lexington Avenue store initiates a service area which Warby calls The Reference Desk, described as “a one-stop-shop for pickups, adjustments, eye exam check-ins and more. It’s a service bar that will seamlessly blend ecommerce with brick-and-mortar retail, and we’re pleased to debut it at Lexington Ave.” A photo booth, designed with whimsical illustrations by artist Wayne Pate will also be featured in addition to illustrated portraits on the stores interior walls by New Yorker artist Maria Kalman and a neighborhood “reading map” by illustrator Jason Polan.


Store associates are outfitted in special worker jacket uniforms and will use tablets to help customers with selection options and ordering if they wish. Eye exams can be booked in advance at WarbyParker.com. This is the company’s third permanent New York location; the others are at Greene Street and on Washington Street.

The store’s original 19th century external signboard will be maintained, featuring Warby Parker’s name.