Ralph pops over to our pop-up

 

One of the many fantastic things about having a pop-up shop is when people pop in. We are always happy to see our friends, so it was a delight when Ralph Albrecht from KBL Eyewear came to see us. Ralph popped over from Germany to have a look at lovely Leigh-on-Sea and visit our auftauchen Geschäft, as they say there.

 

What do we like about KBL Eyewear? As with everything else we have to delight our customers, it is a combination of style, engineering, design and that little bit more. And those little details make these frames so desirable.

 

“Look along the arms of this frame,” Ralph says, holding out his own KBL glasses. “Here is the Empire State building.” And, look closer, and there it is, subtly engraved along the arm, so subtly that you could have owned a pair for a few months and not noticed it, unlike the garish, blunt hallmarks of overpriced brands. There are other subtle touches on these frames, too: the KBL initials laser-engraved on to the unique hinges, the sanded areas blending in to the polished parts ... there is so much about them to explore. Another thing that you won’t realise by looking at photos but only by handling a pair of KBL glasses is the weight: reassuring, solid, comforting: this is something you are glad you have bought for yourself.

 

With more than 500 outlets in Europe, KBL have only two in the UK, but in the age of the internet, when you can order online a pint of milk from the corner shop, this is not a problem to Ralph. “The UK market is important to us, but we want to grow steadily.

 

“We love the guys at Glasseswebb. They are friends as well as partners. Their enthusiasm for our collection has helped us to establish a foothold in this country, to help us go forward. Leigh-on-Sea is a great setting for our collection.”

 

KBL’s emergence out of Europe and into a wider market is evident in their latest styles, which are pitched at a younger market. While this is an area that almost every business is aiming at (apart from marketers of stairlifts and granny scooters), Ralph believes that they offer something different and more valuable. Even the over-25s can feel a few years younger behind a pair of these frames.

 

“All of our collection is at a good price level. This makes it fair for everyone – the manufacturers, the retailers and the customers – and that is how we want to operate our business, how we want to live with each other.”

 

The latest look of KBL Eyewear is so appealing. The photos and their locations are gorgeous, but it is only when you hold a pair of these frames in the palm of your hand, when you wear them, when you examine the exquisite detailing on every pair, that you realise just how much work, how much thought, how much care goes into them.

 

Put them on your face. Take them off again. Now, which do you prefer?

 

One of the many fantastic things about having a pop-up shop is when people pop in. We are always happy to see our friends, so it was a delight when Ralph Albrecht from KBL Eyewear came to see us. Ralph popped over from Germany to have a look at lovely Leigh-on-Sea and visit our auftauchen Geschäft, as they say there.

 

What do we like about KBL Eyewear? As with everything else we have to delight our customers, it is a combination of style, engineering, design and that little bit more. And those little details make these frames so desirable.

 

“Look along the arms of this frame,” Ralph says, holding out his own KBL glasses. “Here is the Empire State building.” And, look closer, and there it is, subtly engraved along the arm, so subtly that you could have owned a pair for a few months and not noticed it, unlike the garish, blunt hallmarks of overpriced brands. There are other subtle touches on these frames, too: the KBL initials laser-engraved on to the unique hinges, the sanded areas blending in to the polished parts ... there is so much about them to explore. Another thing that you won’t realise by looking at photos but only by handling a pair of KBL glasses is the weight: reassuring, solid, comforting: this is something you are glad you have bought for yourself.

With more than 500 outlets in Europe, KBL have only two in the UK, but in the age of the internet, when you can order online a pint of milk from the corner shop, this is not a problem to Ralph. “The UK market is important to us, but we want to grow steadily.

 

“We love the guys at Glasseswebb. They are friends as well as partners. Their enthusiasm for our collection has helped us to establish a foothold in this country, to help us go forward. Leigh-on-Sea is a great setting for our collection.”

 

KBL’s emergence out of Europe and into a wider market is evident in their latest styles, which are pitched at a younger market. While this is an area that almost every business is aiming at (apart from marketers of stairlifts and granny scooters), Ralph believes that they offer something different and more valuable. Even the over-25s can feel a few years younger behind a pair of these frames.

 

“All of our collection is at a good price level. This makes it fair for everyone – the manufacturers, the retailers and the customers – and that is how we want to operate our business, how we want to live with each other.”

 

The latest look of KBL Eyewear is so appealing. The photos and their locations are gorgeous, but it is only when you hold a pair of these frames in the palm of your hand, when you wear them, when you examine the exquisite detailing on every pair, that you realise just how much work, how much thought, how much care goes into them.

 

Put them on your face. Take them off again. Now, which do you prefer?