America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is a national optical retailer that provides eye exams, eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses through company-operated stores supported by a transactional website. The chain focuses on clear, value-driven packages, including multi-pair offers and membership-style savings, to make vision care affordable for everyday consumers. In-store optometrists, optical services, and a full retail selection allow each location to function as both a neighborhood eye-care provider and a destination for prescription eyewear and contacts.

The company began in 1978 as a discount optical concept built around low prices on glasses and contact lenses. Its founding idea was straightforward: offer basic vision products and exams at prices that appeal to cost-conscious customers who might otherwise delay care. As the business grew, America’s Best moved beyond its early markets and introduced a more standardized format that combined a full-service optical shop with independently contracted optometrists on-site. A key milestone in its trajectory came when it became part of National Vision, Inc., which brought additional capital, centralized operations, and the platform to scale the brand into a nationwide chain.

As of October 2024, America’s Best operates roughly 900 locations across more than 40 states. The stores are primarily found in open-air formats such as power centers, community centers, grocery-anchored centers, and inline strips in suburban and secondary markets. Typical locations include an exam area, an optical services area, and a retail floor that mixes private-label frames with well-known national brands, all presented with straightforward package pricing. The brand also uses its website to handle appointment booking, provide product information, and support online ordering for select items, extending its reach beyond the four walls of each store.

Over the past five years, America’s Best has continued a steady expansion program under National Vision’s ownership, with the banner identified as the parent company’s primary growth vehicle. New store development has focused on Sunbelt growth corridors, the Southeast, Texas, Mid-Atlantic suburbs, Midwestern secondary metros, and select Western suburbs. Recent company updates and recruiting activity highlight an active pipeline that includes leasing, construction, and hiring for new locations, indicating ongoing unit growth across both existing and adjacent markets.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, America’s Best functions as a medically oriented retailer that generates repeat visits through regular exam cycles and replacement of eyewear and contacts. The chain typically fits efficiently into small to mid-size boxes and inline space within open-air centers, often alongside grocery, soft goods, and daily-needs anchors. As part of a larger public company with a long operating history, the brand brings institutional backing and recognizable signage to neighborhood and regional retail projects.

Since joining National Vision, America’s Best has evolved from a discount regional optical concept into a scaled, multi-channel platform with a consistent store model, national advertising presence, and a clear focus on affordability. Its continued emphasis on suburban and high-traffic corridors, combined with measured but ongoing new-store openings, positions the chain as an active and reliable occupant for centers looking to add health, wellness, and service-based traffic to their tenant mix.