Modern spectacle maker Cubitts has today unveiled two new stores in the heart of Edinburgh, its first sites outside of England. The stores, Cubitts Old Town and Cubitts New Town will bring the brand’s considered offering of spectacle making, eye examinations, repairs and services to the city’s residents and visitors.
Taking the total number of UK stores to 15, Cubitts Old Town is situated on one of the most historic and photographed streets in Britain (West Bow), while Cubitts New Town sits opposite the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (on York Place).
Two exclusive new frames will be created for each store, celebrating their history, design and culture. ‘Elder’ and ‘Anderson’ will be available at Cubitts New Town with bold, round silhouettes and sculptural details. ‘Cowgate’ and ‘Bow’ will be available at Cubitts New Town, featuring classic 60s and aviator shapes.
Both sites will also house the brand’s full collection of frames and its bespoke design service – allowing customers to purchase handmade frames in their exact measurements, using Cubitts styles and colours. Cubitts New Town will become a base for the brand’s specialised OCT eye examinations.
The interiors at Cubitts New Town elevate its historic architectural features, referencing the Great Hall library at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Cubitts Old Town will take inspiration from celebrated architect Peter Womersly who is known for designing one of the finest houses of British Modernism.
Tom Broughton, founder of Cubitts said: We’ve been trying to acquire the beautiful curving site at 88-92 West Bow for over six years. But when that moment came, we realised it was difficult to offer all our services within its diminutive shape – such as eye examinations, bespoke consultations and repairs.
So we began looking for a second site, and found 1 York Place – which offered enough space to bring our approach to spectacle making, eye examinations, repairs and services to Scotland for the first time. And now we have the best of both worlds – services in the New Town, spectacles in the Old Town – in two distinct but equally remarkable buildings, each with a rich history.”
To celebrate the launch, Cubitts is partnering with a number of local Edinburgh based independent businesses and organisations – including local tailors Walker and Slater, to display a curated edit of Cubitts’ frames in their stores, and independent bookshop Golden Hare Books which will showcase a selection of books in the Cubitts New Town shopfront.
In addition, Cubitts will be working with Jewellery and Silversmith students at the Edinburgh College of Art on a live design brief. The winning designs will be displayed alongside the store’s bespoke collection of frames.
Edinburgh Weavers will also launch a reproduction of one of their modernist designs in the form of a lens cloth, which will be available exclusively to purchase in the both Cubitts stores, with proceeds going to the team’s chosen charity, Alzheimer’s Society.
