Bright Eyes Sunglasses is a company that was established in
Cairns, Queensland,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, by Robert and Antonina (Ann) Johnstone, in 1985.
[ ] By 1995, the chain included 115 stores.
In 1997 the franchise was sold to Ian Thomas, a Cairns property developer. Ian Thomas reduced the stores from 112 to 85 removing the unprofitable stores strengthening the brand and growing the gross profit of the group by 50%.
In 2000, Bright Eyes was sold to a consortium of three businessmen: Geoff Harbert, Graham Bradshaw, and Ralph Edwards.
By 2003, 10 franchise stores and 19 company-owned stores.
The full chain's 2003 turnover reached A$6.7 million.
Harbert stated in 2004 that some stores were expanding their product lines, in order to remain profitable.
[ ]
The company having grown to 155 stores, 1/3 of which company run, eventually came under the control of
Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc., based in Lake Forest, California, is an American company operating as an independent subsidiary of Luxottica . The company designs, develops and manufactures sports performance equipment and lifestyle pieces including sunglasses, ...
,
which was itself purchased by
Luxottica in 2007, transferring ownership of the chain to Luxottica.
The takeover resulted in Luxottica becoming "by far the biggest eyewear chain in Australia."
[ ]
In 2008 Luxottica having reduced the business to 47 stores, sold the business back to business partners Ralph Edwards and Geoff Harbert.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official website Luxottica
Retail companies of Australia