Retail Business of the Year 2016

Start-up name: Cubitts
Founder: Tom Broughton
Started in: October 2013
Based in: London
Business description: Designs, manufactures and retails handmade glasses

With a vision to “dress the world in better spectacles”, Cubitts’ eye-catching combination of modern technology and traditional British craft won the judges over and saw it take home the award for Retail Business of the Year.

Launched in 2013, the start-up produces a range of handmade glasses and sunglasses and offers a bespoke service which enables consumers to create completely unique, made-to-measure designs. Cubitts also provides eye examinations, repairs and adjustments.

Founder Broughton says the company’s frames go through 50 crafted stages of production over a six-week period – including four polishes – with custom pins secured straight through the acetate.

What’s more, the business claims to be the first of its kind to produce metal bridges using 3D printing, which are made from stainless steel and hand polished on the front.

After starting out solely as an e-commerce business, Cubitts’ tremendous success has seen it open four bricks and mortar stores across London in Soho, Borough, Spitalfields and King’s Cross and has put it on track to secure six figure turnover for 2016.

Cubitts faced worthy category competition in the shape of retail rivals Tails.com – the dog food subscription service – which was highly commended by the judges, and Bloom & Wild – the ‘flowers through the letterbox’ delivery platform – as commended.