Warby Parker opening locations in Targets, including in Bloomington

Warby Parker later this year is opening five of its eyeglass locations inside Target stores, including in Bloomington.

The new shops will be staffed by Warby Parker employees, and a selection of the brand’s eyewear also will be sold on Target’s website.

“A big part of [Warby Parker’s] commitment means meeting eyewear consumers where and how they want to shop — and for many of our customers, that means shopping at Target,“ Dave Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of the company, said in a memo outlining the partnership.

This is the first partnership with another retailer for Warby Parker.

Warby Parker at Target shops also will be launched in Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the second half of 2025.

Customers can expect additional openings in 2026 with potential for more in the coming years, the companies said.

Target executives have emphasized that one of the Minneapolis-based retailer’s goals is to partner with freestanding brands in ways that are exclusive to Target. The company plans to present a broader plan for growth Tuesday at its investors day in New York City.

“Warby Parker at Target reflects both brands' commitment to style, affordability, quality and convenience. As we test and learn with this new partnership — bringing Warby Parker’s expertise into select stores — we’re enticing new consumers to discover more of Target," said Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer for Target.

The new partnership will accompany Target Optical, the retailer’s in-house business, which can be found at more than 500 Target stores.

As of September 2024, Warby Parker had 269 stores. Last August, Gilboa announced the company’s intention to expand to 900 stores.

The eyewear company currently has six locations in Minnesota. The addition of Warby Parker at Target will mark a second location in Bloomington.

The eyewear specialist prides itself on affordability, offering designer-quality prescription glasses starting at $95. As part of the company’s commitment to vision for all, it launched its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, which has allowed it to distribute over 15 million glasses to people in need.