Senior Editor
SOUTHFIELD, Mich.--With a new president and a goal of adding between 80 and 100 new locations over the next five years, the 21-store, all-private-label SEE chain is starting the new year poised for accelerated growth.
As Richard Golden, SEE’s founder and chief executive officer, told VM, “We haven’t changed the basic concept of SEE: offering our own collections from the best frame makers all over the world. But now with someone else handling the day-to-day operations, I can concentrate on the direction of the company, and on making sure the integrity of the SEE brand stays intact as we grow.” Focusing on those day-to-day operations both internally and in the field as of Jan. 7 is new SEE president David Desjardins, most recently chief stores officer for dELiA*s, a New York-based direct marketing and retail company targeting consumers aged 12 to 19. Desjardins also has retail experience with chains such as Cache, Express Men’s and The Gap.
“Dave is a savvy marketer who understands the principles of being a retail executive in a fashion company,” said Golden.
“And if the retail operations are under control, that’s a big part of being successful, as long as you start with a sound concept. Dave brings the talent and experience necessary to facilitate and steer the explosive growth SEE is forecasting. His focus will be building a foundation strong and nimble enough to sustain the anticipated growth of the company while staying true to the mission of the brand.”
Golden has focused his efforts on SEE--as has his brother, Randal, SEE’s co-owner--since the family-owned D.O.C Optics chain was sold to Luxottica Group in February 2007.
The first SEE (Selective Eyewear Elements) store opened in Birmingham, Mich., in March 1998, targeting a customer “who wants great-looking eyewear but doesn’t want to pay for designer brands,” according to Golden. SEE opened its 21st location on Jan. 9, in Cambridge, Mass. Four to five additional new stores--including two for which leases have already been signed--are slated to open during 2008.
“We purposely have not been geared for fast growth,” Golden explained. “This year, we first have to solidify our field organization before we start a big push. On the store level, so far we’ve done well at getting people to come through the doors and like what they do once they’re inside.” He said sales at the existing SEE locations have been averaging $800 to $1,000 per square foot, adding, “The store performance is pretty good right now--but I never settle for ‘pretty good.’”
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| Richard Golden | David Desjardins |
Desjardins told VM he views SEE as “the only truly vertically integrated optical retail brand,” covering as it does everything from design and creation of its private label product to its presentation in a boutique retail environment.
“I’m excited about this new challenge because SEE’s retail concept is something nobody else is doing, and because the concept has so much potential,” he declared. “At this point we know the stores’ footprint, and we know what we need to do to expand it further. Richard has the eye, energy, drive, creativity and business sense to have brought SEE this far, and I’m looking forward to working with him in the future to tap SEE’s full potential.”
Added Desjardins, “This is the year to get our feet under us, to prepare for SEE’s big growth push starting in 2009. We’ve made a long-term commitment, and we’re going to do it right.” ■
