Pearle Vision

Pearle Vision

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Optical retail
Founded	1961 (1961) in Savannah, Georgia, United States
Founder	Stanley Pearle
Headquarters	United States
Area served	North America, Middle East
Products	Eyewear, eye care services
Owner	EssilorLuxottica
Parent	EssilorLuxottica

Pearle Vision is a prominent American network of eye care outlets and ranks among the largest franchised optical retailers throughout North America. In 2004, it was acquired by Luxottica—now integrated into EssilorLuxottica—and as of December 31, 2018, Pearle Vision managed 110 company-owned stores alongside 419 franchised locations across the continent.

History

Established in 1961 by optometrist Stanley Pearle in Savannah, Georgia, the company expanded its footprint nationally after purchasing a 17-store chain in 1971. During the 1970s, ownership transferred to G. D. Searle Pharmaceutical, with Pearle maintaining a position on the board.

In 1985, Stanley Pearle divested the business to British conglomerate Grand Metropolitan, which expanded the brand to exceed 1,000 outlets globally by 1990, although profitability remained a challenge. Grand Met sold its stores in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico to Cole National Corporation in 1996; Cole National also operated optical departments within retailers such as Sears, BJ's Wholesale Club, and Target. The company further grew Pearle Vision by acquiring Michigan-based NuVision’s 150 locations in 1997. The European segment was divested separately, ultimately consolidating Belgian and Dutch stores under Pearle Benelux.

Luxottica’s acquisition of Cole National in 2004 united the two leading eyewear retailers in the United States. Meanwhile, the European Pearle optician chain became part of Grandvision, which now runs over 1,000 outlets across 43 countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (Apollo-Optik), Austria, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Finland, and Estonia. Their product range includes both well-known brands and private-label merchandise.

Pearle Optical expanded into the Middle Eastern region in 2003 with an opening at Marina Mall in Kuwait. Presently, it operates a total of 18 stores distributed across Kuwait (4), Saudi Arabia (10), UAE (3), Egypt (5), and Qatar (1).

In California, Pearle Vision’s business is subject to regulatory scrutiny stemming from consumer protection laws designed to prevent conflicts of interest between optometrists and opticians working under the same roof. In 2006, the California Supreme Court ruled against Pearle Vision’s attempts to bypass these regulations.