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Greater Manchester opticians chain Specscart has opened a new store it says is “as cool as an Apple store” as it plans expansion in 2025 including a push into the USA. Specscart was founded

by Sid Sethi after he was frustrated at the cost and slow pace of other opticians’ services when he broke his own glasses. The company now has three stores across Greater Manchester and Mr

Sethi says sale last year grew to more than £3m. Now the company has opened a concept store in its home town of Bury that it says is “as cool as an Apple store, browsable as a Waterstones

and quirky as an independent boutique”. The Union Street store is four times the size of the company’s existing Bury store, with twice as many eye test rooms. It promotes every pair of

glasses in the 1,000-plus Specscart collection, and shoppers can order straight from their smartphones. Specscart says it is set for a year of growth, with a new website set to launch, its

optical lab now able to operate until midnight to meet demand, and with expansion to the US planned. Specscart’s workforce grew from 18 to 21 during 2024 with another two hirings in the

pipeline for 2025. It also has 20-plus employees in production units in China and IT operations in India. The store’s £100,000 transformation also showcases the history of the Union Street

building, with original features including decorative ceiling plasterwork retained and with a mural installed about the history of the building. Specscart founder and managing director Sid

Sethi said: “Our new store looks nothing like the clinical, old-fashioned and quasi-medical opticians of yesterday. We want people coming in for a browse, a try on and a chat just like

they’d do in Zara, Gym Shark or JD Sports. “If you wear glasses, they are on your face for most of your waking hours – and they are one of the first things that people notice about you – so

we want customers coming in to store and trying loads of different pairs on like they might with trainers in the Nike store. “We’re already seeing shoppers popping in, trying out some new

frames and taking the obligatory selfie in our 9ft tall mirrors – and that’s exactly what we want to see. Shopping for glasses should be all about fun, fashion and creating the perfect look

for you and not just about sight correction.” Specscart's success mean Mr Sethi last year won a spot on Forbes coveted 30 Under 30 List. He told the Manchester Evening News that the

Forbes honour was like "winning the lottery, an Oscar and the Premier League all in one day", and added: "It might be my name on the list, but Specscart wouldn’t be

flourishing as it is now without the dedication and hard work of everyone who works here - from back-office staff and our lab technicians to our tech team and sales assistants. This is a

well-earned pat on the back for all of them too." DON'T MISS THE LATEST NEWS AND ANALYSIS WITH OUR REGULAR NORTH WEST NEWSLETTERS – SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE