LensCrafters

LensCrafters is an American retailer of prescription eyewear and prescription sunglasses, and the largest optical chain in the United States, with about 90 stores in California alone. It was founded in 1983 in the U.S. and has subsequently expanded to over 850 stores in Canada, the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Hong Kong.[1] The stores usually feature independent optometrists on-site or in an adjacent store. The company has its corporate headquarters in Mason, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati. LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut International and Pearle Vision are all wholly owned subsidiaries of Italy-based Luxottica, the largest eyewear company in the world.[2][3]
The company was founded in 1983 by E. Dean Butler, a manager with Procter & Gamble. Butler sold the company to the United States Shoe Corporation in 1985 and remained as  until 1987, when Bannus (Ban) Hudson replaced him. In 1990 Hudson became CEO of US  and Dave Browne became CEO of LensCrafters. LensCrafters had just three locations when U.S. Shoe purchased it; by 1989, there were 350 locations, and LensCrafters was generating 40% of U.S. Shoe's operating income.[4]
In 1995, Luxottica launched a hostile takeover attempt of U.S. Shoe, with the goal of acquiring LensCrafters.[5] Luxottica announced in April 1995 that it had reached an agreement to purchase U.S. Shoe for $1.4 billion.
Category:Eye Doctors