Our Story
We are a long-established optical eyewear boutique and lens laboratory with a large curated selection of unbranded, prestige and designer prescription glasses. With years of expertise from 1991, we are committed to delivering exceptional quality
and service to meet your eyewear needs.
Welcome to Ilkeston Factory Specs, your go-to destination for beautiful and affordable eyewear! As a family-owned business Boutique and Laboratory with decades of experience, we pride ourselves on offering high street glasses buyers
a unique range of Unbranded and Branded Designer & Prestige complete eyewear, along with top-notch prescription lenses, at a more affordable price than most high street opticians. Our state of the art Laboratory and Optical Boutique offers many optical services including complete Branded and Unbranded glasses, as well as a "reframe own lenses" into our new frames service and a "reglaze my glasses frames" service, including our convenient while you wait service*. Visit us in Ilkeston at our safe and secure Boutique and Laboratory on the Nottingham and Derby border, and discover the perfect pair of glasses that fit your style and lifestyle needs! If you would like free parking for your visit, just ring in advance !
More about our story and Ilkeston factory Specs
Our owner and proprietor, Shaun, was one of the first to operate a glasses dispensary in the UK back in 1991. He founded, opened and established our first location in Dudley, West Midlands. Trading from a shopping centre near to the Merry Hill centre, he offered prescription eyewear at discounted prices directly to the public who took their prescriptions to him. Customers needed to have their eyes tested by their optician, then provide their prescription to Shaun at Dudley Factory Specs, who would manufacture new glasses and lenses for them giving them a big saving.
Our Story Goes Back Over 34 Years
In 2003 Shaun purchased a premises in Derbyshire, renting the two upper floors out and trading from the lower ground floor offering glasses, prescription lenses and other services. The outbuildings at the rear house a modern laboratory for the manufacture of spectacles and the high street shop front became Ilkeston Factory Specs eyewear Boutique and dispensary. He was one of the first to offer 1 hour service other than Vision Express who no longer offer this option.
In 2016 he added authorised Designer and Prestige Niche eyewear to store, stocking a huge 2500 selection still including unbranded affordable eyewear
Business has been good proving a hit with the locals over since then, and with the internet came an opportunity to advertise online with a modern website, bringing many people in from a radius of more than 50 miles or more. The website also offers the opportunity to supply goods and services to the whole of the UK including England, Scotland, wales and Northern Ireland.