This isn't an old man get off my lawn post.  More of a curiosity, wondering if anyone has some insight on Sunglass Hut.  I look at businesses a lot and ponder their successes.  Some, make perfect sense on how they are making money.  But Sunglass Hut doesn't make sense.  Especially as a year around business.  Kiosks in the summer, sure.  Spring to fall, fine.  I live in Wisconsin and I wear my sunglasses in the winter with the snow, I get that there is a winter business for sunglasses. But, I can't imagine it is as much as summer.  I may be the anomaly, but I keep one pair for years.  My wife, is more of what I would consider the norm.  She loses pairs all the time.  But, to counter this, she buys the 3 for $20 pairs at the kiosks in the mall.  Those aren't owned by sunglass hut.  If they were, it would make more sense.  Sunglass Hut doesn't carry the low price/high volume glasses.  Only better end.  Which I would assume would mean more of their customer's are like me, and not like my wife. 


I also have a pair of Oakley glasses which have the novelty of multiple different color lenses to try to enhance certain colors and light.  This seems like it would be a good upsell item for a Sunglass Hut.  Small space taken, add to the sale, add margins, and a grab and go for returning customers.  Nope, they don't stock the lenses.  You can order through their website.  But you can order through any website.  They seem to offer nothing proprietary or exclusive.  The interest in expensive sunglasses seems niche.   

Normally the stores foot print is rather small/narrow.  But in malls, which have high rent.   I would imagine that on a normal week day during an off season, especially before daylight savings time, when people drive back and forth to work in the dark from their 9 to 5 they must not see a customer.

I've worked at mall stores in recent years.  Things Remembered -I went days without a sale, a shift without a customer.  No shock they went under.  Pandora Jewelry- exclusive charms, licensing deals, they own everything front to back and have great margins.  Employees get a 75% discount.  That's the kind of margins they are working on.  Loyal customers.  Sierra- TJ Maxx owned, similar business model.  Narrow margins but Sierra is carrying brands that are the brands that still have perceived value.  Creeping the price point up from the bottom. 

I imagine working at Sunglass Hut would be boring and challenging.  Is there something I am missing?  Someone have some insight on how they are still in business?

They probably don't pay rent to the mall. They just show up one day...

Nov 28, 2023 15:52:11 GMT @ness said:

They probably don't pay rent to the mall. They just show up one day...

Phrogging: Hider in My House but with malls?
That is an appalling TV series.

I went in early 2020 before my vacation to California for a music fest, the lady working there was smoking hot. I was embarrassed that previous Summer at a concert I went to I had the cheapest shades so for this one I wanted to have a nice pair of $50-$70 shades, way more money than I would ever spend but felt like treating myself since I had the money. I tried on a few pairs and found some sweet Ray-Bans there was no price tag on anything so went to check out and they were $240. The girl was too hot and we spent too much time trying shades on for me to back out so I just bought them. Felt so dirty and guilty but they ended up being great buy, lasted for years and survived wearing them to work all the time including several drops from 2–3 stories onto concrete.

There is a store in our mall called Entertain Mart that opened 2021, mostly all they sell is DVDs the store is laid out like an old video store with other stuff like used video games, books, etc only taking up small space, that is the store that blows my mind somebody invested in opening and they still are open. No way they are selling enough DVDs to cover payroll and the lease on that place. Mind blowing.

Sunglasses make for great Christmas/birthday presents.

Neo Zeed, I've had discussions with retail folks that say Best Buy is going down hill. I imagine it is in part due to the fact we don't buy those pieces of plastic anymore. Like, when we all did, they were making bank every blockbuster release. I heard that the Barbie DVD was like $10. There isn't even money to be made on $10. Let alone, to your point. No one is buying a disc.
So, their secret is hot chicks? When I was in my 20's and working retail in the prime 90s mall era there was a Eyemart or some vision place that had these 3 smoke show girls working at it. We all used to go to the same night clubs. Damn they were hot. I may have been willing to buy a pair of not needed prescription glasses for one.


@theshow, I can't imagine thinking I knew someone's tastes well enough to buy them sunglasses. I wonder how much the online brands like Blenders hurts Sunglass hut too,

Nov 28, 2023 18:05:11 GMT Neo Zeed said:

I went in early 2020 before my vacation to California for a music fest, the lady working there was smoking hot. I was embarrassed that previous Summer at a concert I went to I had the cheapest shades so for this one I wanted to have a nice pair of $50-$70 shades, way more money than I would ever spend but felt like treating myself since I had the money. I tried on a few pairs and found some sweet Ray-Bans there was no price tag on anything so went to check out and they were $240. The girl was too hot and we spent too much time trying shades on for me to back out so I just bought them. Felt so dirty and guilty but they ended up being great buy, lasted for years and survived wearing them to work all the time including several drops from 2–3 stories onto concrete.

I feel like everyone has a story like this. I remember spending way too much on skincare products at a mall in Hawaii because of this ridiculously hot Israeli girl working there, and being touched by a 10 as a desperate teenager seemed well worth it. :lol:

Nov 28, 2023 19:28:43 GMT theend said:

Neo Zeed , I've had discussions with retail folks that say Best Buy is going down hill. I imagine it is in part due to the fact we don't buy those pieces of plastic anymore. Like, when we all did, they were making bank every blockbuster release. I heard that the Barbie DVD was like $10. There isn't even money to be made on $10. Let alone, to your point. No one is buying a disc.
So, their secret is hot chicks? When I was in my 20's and working retail in the prime 90s mall era there was a Eyemart or some vision place that had these 3 smoke show girls working at it. We all used to go to the same night clubs. Damn they were hot. I may have been willing to buy a pair of not needed prescription glasses for one.


@theshow , I can't imagine thinking I knew someone's tastes well enough to buy them sunglasses. I wonder how much the online brands like Blenders hurts Sunglass hut too,

I can't even remember the last time I walked into a Best Buy, it's been years, but that was the spot for the Pride DVD's back in the day. The nearest one was 50 minute drive back then so it was a big event, go out to eat, grocery shopping, hit up the Best Buy for Pride 28. I've been driving past one every day for work the last few weeks and it's all I can think about when I see it, Pride DVD's. 

Derail conversation: how long has it been since you bought. Dvd/blueray? What was it?

I got Return Of The Living Dead II from Entertainmart at the Mall last month

Get that fucking screwdriver out of my head

Nov 29, 2023 3:48:02 GMT theend said:

Derail conversation: how long has it been since you bought. Dvd/blueray? What was it?

I haven't had any disc player other than a playstation in 7 years.
Would have been a few years before that before I bought one.


I have also bought from sun glass hut many times. The ladies in the store always flirt with me, which makes me think they get paid on commission.
I only wear Oakley sunglasses, I have around 5 pairs.

Nov 29, 2023 11:26:30 GMT iNCY said:

I only wear Oakley sunglasses, I have around 5 pairs.

I’m gonna need a quick show of hands for everyone else who thinks this completely checks out.

I don't think I've ever bought anything because I was flirting. But, I do know I bought my wife a necklace once because I got the impression from the salesperson that they didn't think I could afford it.

Damn calling someone a broke boy really does work LOL.

Nov 28, 2023 15:52:11 GMT @ness said:

They probably don't pay rent to the mall. They just show up one day...

Hey, that's Spirit Halloween's thing!

Nov 29, 2023 21:39:19 GMT All34LOL said:

Nov 29, 2023 11:26:30 GMT iNCY said:

I only wear Oakley sunglasses, I have around 5 pairs.

I’m gonna need a quick show of hands for everyone else who thinks this completely checks out.

You got me, I buy a new pair of sunglasses every couple of years and I don't lose them, what a conceited piece of shit right?

Here is a recent photo of me:

Nov 29, 2023 21:44:46 GMT theend said:

I don't think I've ever bought anything because I was flirting. But, I do know I bought my wife a necklace once because I got the impression from the salesperson that they didn't think I could afford it.

I don't buy things because of flirting either, I only visit the shop when I am going to buy sunglasses, I am a definite sale as soon as I walk in.
My jobs is funny, some days I can be in a suit and tie, other days I am covered in work clothes covered in dust.

I have been looked down on in a particular store here because they assumed I wasn't a serious purchaser.
It was like that scene in pretty woman.
Except I have nicer legs than Julia Roberts.

That's the face of a man who enjoys the taste of raw onions.

I bought a really nice pair of Ray Bans from Sunglass Hut when I was in my early 20's. Had them roughly 15 years, but did not wear them all the time. More so for weekends and trips. Then my niece was born and that was the end of them.

Dec 2, 2023 9:36:23 GMT NATH45 said:

That's the face of a man who enjoys the taste of raw onions.

Some men are the suppository of all wisdom

anyone else feel the need to buy some sunglasses?

Nov 30, 2023 5:25:25 GMT iNCY said:

Nov 29, 2023 21:39:19 GMT All34LOL said:

I’m gonna need a quick show of hands for everyone else who thinks this completely checks out.

You got me, I buy a new pair of sunglasses every couple of years and I don't lose them, what a conceited piece of shit right?

Here is a recent photo of me:

Nov 29, 2023 21:44:46 GMT theend said:

I don't think I've ever bought anything because I was flirting. But, I do know I bought my wife a necklace once because I got the impression from the salesperson that they didn't think I could afford it.

I don't buy things because of flirting either, I only visit the shop when I am going to buy sunglasses, I am a definite sale as soon as I walk in.
My jobs is funny, some days I can be in a suit and tie, other days I am covered in work clothes covered in dust.

I have been looked down on in a particular store here because they assumed I wasn't a serious purchaser.
It was like that scene in pretty woman.
Except I have nicer legs than Julia Roberts.

Oh I didn’t mean it like that bro. I just have an image of you in my head. And that image just happens to line up with all the dudes I know who wear Oakley’s. Some of those guys are pretty good dudes. I mean yeah it was kind of a “shot” but meant as good natured one.