BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—My Eyelab, a retail brand of Now Optics, signed an agreement that will bring nine new franchise stores to Alabama, marking the brand’s debut in the state, according to an announcement this week. The Alabama growth in the coming months will be driven by business partners Zain Attawala and Sagar Panjwani, current My Eyelab franchisees with 17 open locations in the Atlanta market. Attawala and Panjwani also signed an agreement to open two additional stores in Atlanta, the announcement noted.

The Alabama deal will bring nine new locations to the Birmingham, Huntsville and Montgomery markets. The new stores will feature an experience focused on convenience and ease with a contemporary design that highlights the latest technology.
 
“We feel so grateful to be a part of My Eyelab franchising and we’re incredibly excited to bring affordable eyecare to the people of Alabama,” Attawala said. “The success we’ve had in Atlanta exceeded our expectations, and with how great the unit economics are combined with low startup and operational costs, investing further in My Eyelab and expanding our reach into several untapped markets was a no-brainer.”
 
Under the leadership of founder and CEO Daniel Stanton, My Eyelab has led the retail eyecare industry in ocular telehealth by leveraging proprietary innovative telehealth technology to provide patients with affordable and convenient eye exams.
 
To date, the company has conducted more than 1 million telehealth eye exams.
 
In addition to Birmingham, Huntsville and Montgomery, My Eyelab recently signed deals to bring locations to the Acworth and Peachtree City areas in Atlanta. The company currently has 62 franchise stores open and is on track to have 70 franchise units operating by year’s end.
 
The new openings and signings in 2021 so far, mark a 40 percent year-to-date growth rate over last year for My Eyelab, with 21 units currently in development. Between sister brands My Eyelab and Stanton Optical, Now Optics expects to have 247 stores by the end of the year, according to this week’s announcement.