“Baltimore to some extent is in the blood of the family,” says one of the companies co-founders Neil Blumenthal, referring to other co-founder Jeff Raider, a Johns Hopkins alum. “The city has such a rich literary history and Warby Parker actually comes from two early Jack Kerouac characters—Warby Pepper and Zagg Parker. The brand stands for fun, creativity, and doing good in the world and we always felt that writers best represent that.”

The store even pays homage to our very own macabre writer with their cutting edge “point of everything” system, also known as POE. The application will run off of iPad minis that will be located in the store and are connected to the company’s backend, making it easy to access customer records, order history, and prescriptions. For indecisive shoppers, POE will also allow you to bookmark images of yourself in frames you like to show to friends and family, and will immediately send you a formatted email with an add to cart button so you can finish the transaction at home.

The Harbor East store has a traditional university library feel with the walls lined with classic book shelving containing the designer frames, as well as a reference desk where you can receive customer assistance. To keep up with the literary theme, the store also has books by independent publishers for sale and a cushy seating area to sit back and relax while browsing.

The store will host a grand opening party on April 30 with treats and coffee from Woodberry Kitchen and an exclusive pair of sunglasses only available at this location.

“The inspiration was Baltimore being a city with a harbor and we thought the crystal frame really fit in with that world and the blue mirrored lens matched that with a nautical nod,” says Blumenthal. “It allows us to create something special for the community we are joining.”

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Warby Parker, the 6-year-old eyewear startup which currently operates more than 20 stores nationwide, will debut its first Maryland location in a portion of the former City Sports space at 809 Aliceanna Street.

Shortly after City Sports closed its doors last summer, high-end men’s clothier Brooks Brothers snagged 5,000-square-feet of the vacant property, leaving Harbor East Management in search of a tenant to fill more than 1,000-square-feet of space leftover.

“It is a testament to Baltimore, and to the city’s savvy fashion clientele, that Harbor East continues to attract such contemporary and notable national retailers, like Warby Parker,” says Megan McCloskey, director of marketing at Harbor East Management. “With a unique approach to the eyewear market, as well as an established and loyal online following, the brand will be a true complement to the existing shops in the neighborhood.”

Cleverly named after characters in a Jack Kerouac novel, Warby Parker will highlight its expansive collection of funky frames (including its signature tortoise-shell designs) for men and women, and even feature an onsite optometrist if shoppers are in need of a new prescription.

The New York-based brand, which prides itself on its $95-per-frame price point, originated when co-founders Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa saw a need for affordable designer eyewear. The company is also known for its global outreach efforts, like its “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” campaign that has distributed more than one million pairs of glasses to people in need.

The founders have no doubt that the store, which will join the likes of Free People, J. Crew, Madewell, and Under Armour, will find its footing in Baltimore’s “luxury-district.”

“We’re incredibly excited to be opening our doors in a city with so much historical heft and literary history,” says Blumenthal. “We look forward to exploring the town’s landmarks, reading Baltimore authors, getting to know our future neighbors, and increasing our companywide crab consumption by at least 500 percent.”

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