Online footwear startup to try out brick-and-mortar

Birdies has gotten some new seed — seed funding that is.



The San Francisco startup, known for its stylish and comfortable house slippers, announced it has raised $2 million in seed funding. The round was led by Forerunner Ventures, the investors behind Jet.com and Dollar Shave Club, with participation from Slow Ventures, Graph Ventures, Social Capital and a few strategic individual investors.



Birdies plans to use the investment to accelerate brand growth through product expansion and increased marketing efforts. Additionally, the company will open its first store, on Union Street in San Francisco, this fall.



Birdies was launched in late 2015 by Bianca Gates, who previously spent five years leading retail partnerships at Facebook and Instagram, and Marisa Sharkey, former group VP of strategy at Ross Stores.The company specializes in fashionable-looking house slippers, or what it calls "true indoor' shoes." The chic slippers, which sell for $140, are lined with memory foam and arch support, with satin and faux shearling lining for softness, and rubber soles for indoor traction and outdoor wear.



"As evidenced by the number of early customers that have shared their own discovery of Birdies with friends, it's clear Bianca and Marisa have struck a chord in a somewhat forgotten, and certainly dated, category,” said Kirsten Green, founder and managing director of Forerunner Ventures. “We respect their founding story and are looking forward to being part of their team as they seize the potential to redefine indoor fashion with chic slippers."



"We love to entertain friends and family at home but could never find cozy footwear that made style sense and were also comfortable for around the house," said Gates, co-founder and CEO of Birdies. "Tired of running around barefoot, in our socks, or in frumpy slippers, we decided to leverage our design aesthetic and work with incredible manufacturers to solve this issue."