Girlshop
| Founded | June 1998 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Owner | Laura Eisman |
Girlshop Inc. was a trailblazer in the fashion e-commerce industry, operating the website girlshop.com, recognized as the first platform dedicated to indie designers and cutting-edge style trends. The site debuted in 1998, founded by Laura Eisman, a graphic designer turned businesswoman who previously served as Creative Director at iVillage.
Background
In June 1998, Eisman launched Girlshop with an initial investment of $10,000 from her personal funds. Within just one month, The New York Times featured the company in an article that significantly boosted site traffic. To manage this rapid growth, Eisman collaborated with her then-partner Todd Richter, who developed a custom database system, establishing Girlshop as a key player in New York City's independent fashion retail scene.
At its height, Girlshop Inc. attracted over 500,000 visitors monthly and fulfilled thousands of orders each month, generating revenues around five million dollars. In 2005, the company expanded by opening a brick-and-mortar location in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.
Girlshop also made appearances in popular culture, including a feature in Dee Davis’s romance novel A Match Made on Madison. Additionally, the company co-authored The Girlshop Guide to NYC Shopping alongside its competitor Shecky's.
Founder Laura Eisman has been cited and interviewed by numerous prestigious publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg, Fox News, NY Daily News, USA Today, Advertising Age, Adweek, National Real Estate Investor, Gift Shop, and Fashion Incubator.
Facing mounting pressure from large-scale fashion retailers entering the online market, Girlshop ultimately ceased operations both online and in its physical store by 2007.