Bright colours, distinctive frames and a welcoming atmosphere make IOLLA’s Cambridge showroom a space worth exploring. We created a Google virtual tour to bring that experience online, photographing the shop during a busy trading day while giving customers room to browse.
The shoot took approximately 90 minutes. Taking time between customers helped us present the showroom cleanly and clearly, with the attention to detail a premium retail space deserves.
A Fresh Approach to Eyewear in Cambridge
Founded in Glasgow, IOLLA describes its mission as “a better way to buy eyewear”. Its approach combines considered design, straightforward pricing and personal advice, with space for customers to take their time.
At IOLLA’s Cambridge showroom, at 36 Green Street, visitors can explore the collection of glasses and sunglasses, receive styling advice and discover a custom lens bar for tailored tints.
The colourful displays and contemporary styling sit comfortably within Cambridge’s historic streets. It feels fashionable and approachable, with plenty of personality. Our aim was to carry that first impression into the virtual tour.
Explore the IOLLA Cambridge Virtual Tour
Look around the showroom, explore the frame displays and see how the space connects. The tour gives you a feel for the shop before you visit, whether you live locally, study in Cambridge or are spending the day in the city.
Drag or swipe to look around, then use the navigation arrows to move through the showroom.
Photographing a Busy Shop Without Rushing the Result
We arrived around midday, when customers were regularly coming into the store. Rather than asking the shop to pause trading, we worked around the flow of visitors, waiting for clear moments before photographing each area.
For a shop of this size, the capture would usually be quicker. Here, allowing approximately an hour and a half gave us time to keep customers out of the shots and show the displays without people blocking the view.
That patience matters. The finished tour should feel easy to explore, even when creating it requires careful timing. It also lets the showroom team continue looking after the people who are there in person.
Showing the Character of the Space
For an eyewear showroom, the interior is part of the shopping experience. The arrangement of frames, the colours and the way displays sit within the room all help visitors understand what makes the store distinctive.
Our focus was to bring those elements together in a clear, welcoming walkthrough. Instead of seeing isolated photographs, viewers can turn around, follow the space and understand how the different displays relate to one another.
The embedded tour lets you assess the image detail and navigation for yourself. This is the same care we bring to our virtual tours for retail stores and showrooms: photography planned around both the business and the person exploring it.
Helping Customers Plan a Visit
Someone discovering IOLLA online can use the tour to get familiar with the showroom before walking through the door. For people making a special trip into Cambridge, it offers a useful preview of the surroundings and shopping environment.
The tour complements the product information and personal service available from IOLLA. It gives the physical shop a presence online, allowing people to explore at their own pace, including outside opening hours.
Retail Virtual Tours: Your Questions Answered
Can you photograph our shop while it is open?
Yes. We can work around customers and pause when an area becomes busy. A quieter appointment may make the shoot quicker, but IOLLA demonstrates that a carefully managed session during trading hours can work well.
How long does a shop virtual tour take to photograph?
The layout, number of viewpoints and customer activity all affect the time required. IOLLA took approximately 90 minutes because we waited for clear views between visitors. We discuss timing with you beforehand so you can plan around the session.
Do you work with businesses outside London?
Yes, we create retail virtual tours in Cambridge and across the UK. Whether you have one shop or several locations, we plan the photography around your premises, presentation and trading hours.
Can we also show the Google virtual tour on our website?
Yes. The tour can be embedded on a store or location page, allowing visitors to explore without leaving your website. We can provide the embed code and help your website team add it.
Let Customers Explore Your Shop Before They Visit
Your store’s design, displays and atmosphere deserve to come across online. We create premium Google virtual tours for retailers across the UK, combining careful photography, natural navigation and support with using the finished tour.
Tell us about your shop and request a quote.
For another example of our retail work, explore the Allbirds Marylebone Google Maps virtual tour.
