AFROTECH reported that a Black and Asian-owned secondhand boutique called Thrilling announced that it raised $8.5 million in a recent Series A funding round. Thrilling offers innovative tools to support small business owners and a personalized, uniquely enjoyable shopping experience. According to additional details, funds raised will be utilized to bring on key team members and further develop Thrilling’s core technology. The company confirmed in a statement that 95% of the shops and sellers on Thrilling are women and/or Black, Indigenous, and people of color, according to AFROTECH.
How does Thrilling work? If you have been searching for unique, vintage, and second-hand clothing, Thrilling hosts items from hundreds of stores online. The website describes it as the premier online marketplace of vintage and secondhand items from the best boutiques across the United States. Shilla Kim-Parker, a Harvard College and Harvard Business School graduate, and Brad Mallow are the co-founders.
“We are a Black and woman-owned business, committed to living our personal values as we scale. That means advocating for causes we believe in: protecting the environment, supporting small and local businesses, and celebrating diversity. Internally, we’re creating a culture where people enjoy showing up to work every day, expressing their whole selves as we get amazing things done,” a company description said online.
Thrilling’s Instagram is full of colorful, high-quality-looking clothing. According to AFROTECH, the online marketplace has attracted a number of celebrity fans, including costume designer Mona May and Zerina Akers, who is Beyoncé’s stylist and the owner/ CEO of Black-Owned Everything.
The company’s social media profile identified Thrilling as Black and Asian woman-owned, so support earned from female creatives is not surprising. It was also mentioned on Instagram that every purchase made from Thrilling supports a small business.
Refinery29 said that Kim-Parker is also a vintage lover. Kim-Parker’s actions reflect that she is socially conscious, too. The interview stated that Thrilling curated a collection of clothing from Black-owned vintage stores, following the murder of George Floyd, although Black-owned vintage stores have been amplified since the business began.
“Secondhand and vintage business owners have been very frustrated about the lack of support from the tech community in helping get their business out to more customers around the world. I started this business to really partner with them and help bring them more revenue, so that they can continue to build their business and continue to be cornerstones of their communities,” Kim-Parker said.
Visit Thrilling by clicking here.
