# Tender Loving Empire

Scalable Retail with a Positive Community Impact

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/tender.loving.empire
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:179284
- Last updated: 2026-06-10T05:01:34Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-11T00:18:10Z

## Quick facts
- TLE operates 7 stores - in the PNW with revenue of $7.8m in 2024 at a 62% gross margin
- TLE has grown 13X in the last 10 years, adding $3 million in revenue since the pandemic.
- Cracked the code of scaling handmade retail via our house brand products which generate a 75% margin
- Long term leases for two stores at the Portland airport and one at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.
- We make a meaningful impact on the 500+ makers we represent, generating $20m+ for them since 2007.
- We are an evergreen, cash-flowing, proven concept with an experienced team. No pie in the sky here.

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:139356: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:139355: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
Dear Future Investor,Hi, we’re Brianne and Jared Mees, co-founders of Tender Loving Empire — a Portland-based company proving that retail can be successful, scalable, and socially conscious.Since 2007, we’ve grown from a tiny consignment shop with just $50K in first-year sales into 7 thriving retail stores across two states that employs 65 people and generated nearly $8 million in revenue in 2024. But beyond the numbers, we’re driven by a mission: to support artists, makers, and creative small businesses — while building a business that strengthens the communities we serve.Small businesses and independent makers are an essential part of every great city. But too often, we see big box stores extracting from local communities, or worse, stealing from artists and undercutting their value. We believe there’s a better, more regenerative way.What if success in retail actually strengthened local economies? What if it uplifted makers, paid them fairly, and turned shopping into an investment in community? This is Tender Loving Empire’s mission.Over the last 18 years, we’ve become a launchpad for hundreds of artists and brands, paying out over $20 million into the creative economy — helping people quit day jobs, hire teams, and grow into national brands. Our proven model combines thoughtful curation and fair purchasing practices with in-house product design, allowing us to maintain strong margins while taking care of makers.This is not a startup. It’s a thriving, mission-driven business that’s grown 13X in the last decade and has grown $3m in annual revenue since the pandemic.Now, we’re raising funds on Wefunder to expand into high-traffic retail spaces, scale e-commerce and wholesale, and increase our brand impact - all with the purpose of furthering our mission to support makers, artists and small businesses. As an investor in TLE, you have the potential to earn your money back with interest after 5 years or convert to equity and take the ride with us.If you believe in artists getting paid fairly, in responsible commerce with meaning, and want to be part of a business with heart, traction, and vision — we’d love to have join us.With gratitude,Brianne & Jared MeesCo-founders, Tender Loving EmpireHOW IT STARTEDIn 2007, we started Tender Loving Empire with a simple mission: to support artists and creative small businesses, while inspiring our community. We began as a tiny consignment shop in an out of the way location selling the art of about 25 artists. We started a record label to put out the music our friends were making, silkscreening the covers and burning the CDs by hand. That first year we were proud to have made $50k in sales. We worked the counter 9 hours a day, 6 days a week for three years, we took pride in knowing every artist by name, in paying artists accurately and on time and in making sure every customer who walked through the door left with a smile.HOW IT'S GOINGWe've grown considerably, but growth hasn’t changed our mission—it’s amplified it. TLE now operates 7 stores in 2 states and employs 65 amazing humans. We have headquarters and an event space in SE Portland and three of our locations are high volume airport locations at the Portland Airport and the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.TLE's significant growth has allowed us to proudly pay over $20 million and counting to the artists, makers and small businesses we set out to support.We’ve grown 13X in the last 10 years, and since the pandemic, we’ve grown 40%, adding $3 million in new revenue from 2021 to 2024. And there’s a lot more opportunity from here.So why invest in Tender Loving Empire?So glad you asked!Five-year growth planForward-looking projections are not guaranteed.We will spend 2026 and 2027 maximizing our current operations as our early store-opening loans reach maturity. We will focus on growth of our stores and other current verticals - our e-commerce site, our B2B gifting service, wholesale sales of our house brand and our record label. In 2026 we will apply to open a 2nd location at the Seattle Airport to open in 2028 In 2029 or 2030, we will open an additional high-grossing store either in the Seattle area or at the Boise airport. By 2030 or 2031, we are projecting to hit almost $15 million, with a 10% EBITDA. At that point, we will either pay our investors back with interest, or convert investment to shares of TLE and our investors can come along on the next growth phase.Forward-looking statements are not guaranteed.Why we chose Wefunder; why this is more than investment?We chose Wefunder because it allows the people who’ve supported us — customers, artists, friends, and fans — to invest in our shared future.As an investor, you’ll either get your money back with interest after 5 years, or convert to equity, own a piece of Tender Loving Empire and come along with us for growth beyond 2030. This is a solid financial investment, but it's more than that — it's a culture investment in the creative economy of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. (not guaranteed)If you believe that small businesses are the lifeblood of a community, if you believe in artists getting paid fairly, in keeping dollars in local communities — and in profitable companies that lead with purpose — we’d love to have you with us.Join us. Invest in a creative community and an exciting regenerative retail model.Invest in Tender Loving Empire.

## FAQ
1. **Maybe this is a small nit, but in the video I hear "this is a profitable business" yet all the data shared here on WeFunder would imply otherwise. Can you please clarify?**
   - Jeffrey. Not a small nit at all. I'm glad you asked the question and am happy to clarify. What you're referring to, for the benefit of others, is the NET Loss we showed in 2023 and 2024. Our business model has been proven profitable, but our last two years has not been due to some growing pains and calibration periods. We are on track for profitability this year and beyond again. 2021 and 2022 were profitable years - with 9% and 8% NET Profit (13% and 14% EBITDA). In 2023 our loss was due to ...
2. **Hi Jared, I’m Zac Stahlhut with D3VC. We specialize in investment crowdfunding and really like what you’re building. Could you share how your current cash flow and leasing arrangements support expansion and what additional capital might be needed as you grow? We’re also curiou...**
   - Hi Zac, Thanks so much for your interest and thoughtful questions. I’m happy to provide more detail on our expansion plans and financial outlook. I've answered each of your questions below. It appears that Wefunder turns this response into a long block of text so feel free to reach out to me at Jared at Tenderlovingempire.com if its too difficult to read and I can send you a cleaner version. Could you share how your current cash flow and leasing arrangements support expansion and what additio...
3. **good mission. I invested in another company at airports, build out is crazy expensive. what I am wondering about is I see where you said you made 2 million in revenue from I believe the SeaTac airport. have you been able to get your cogs and operating expenses down in. those 2...**
   - Thank you for your question. I think investments in companies doing business at airports are a good idea because it is very lucrative. Across our airport locations, we have been able to realize a 30% profitability. Our growth strategy from here is simply based on 4-wall economics -- adding more locations that have the same contribution rate. We will be able to open two more airport locations with minimal corporate expenses and project to have a $1-$1.5 million EBITDA once we do. Let me know i...
4. **Hi there - just want to make sure I understand your model. Is the idea that you are showcasing + selling the products of other artists/makers, and you give them a % of the revenue from those sales (if so, what is that %)? Or do you purchase items wholesale from makers and mark...**
   - Thank you for your question Teddy. Roughly 70% of our revenue comes from selling products made by other artists & makers. Our relationship with them works like traditional retail. We either purchase their products on wholesale and mark them up or sell them on consignment. The other 30% of our sales come from our own line of products. These products have a larger margin and are our secret sauce. Most boutique shops with a small-batch, local product mix like ours have trouble scaling, but o...
5. **we for sure can chat. i am wondering what stops anybody from doing what you do? what is your competitive advantage? also, the customers you have now how are they finding out about you? how long does it take to get eat location up and running? what is the biggest thing you thin...**
   - John - Thank you for your continued interest in Tender Loving Empire. Our competitive advantage is trifold - 1) We've been doing this for 18 years and have the historical knowledge base on what works for this model, what doesn't, what our customers want, etc. 2) 30% of our sales come from our own line of products - again based on data analysis over time. 3) Our record label is a differentiator. No other retail brand has a soundtrack or the ability to be a part of people's lives in the meaning...

## Team
- Brianne Mees (CEO)
- Jared Matthew Mees (Business Development / TLE Records President)
- Laura Bien (Director of Operations)

## Recent posts
- THIS IS IT! ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT to be part of Tender Loving Empire's community owned future! (2026-04-29T17:55:27Z)
- Less than 3 Days left to invest in Tender Loving Empire! + PIKE PLACE ANNOUNCEMENT!! (2026-04-28T16:38:18Z)
- 8 Days left to invest in Tender Loving Empire!! (2026-04-22T20:10:49Z)
- 16 DAYS LEFT TO INVEST!! (2026-04-14T21:51:33Z)
- 22 DAYS LEFT TO INVEST!! + Quarterly Investor Report (2026-04-06T21:36:48Z)
- Why are people investing in Tender Loving Empire? Watch this short highlight from our recent webinar to hear the story, the momentum, and the community behind it. (2026-03-05T23:34:37Z)
- $20M Paid to Artists, 18 Years Strong: Inside TLE’s Next Growth Chapter (Watch the Recording) (2026-01-16T18:42:03Z)
- TLE’s 2025 Momentum: Wins, What We’re Building Next, and RSVP to our Webinar (2026-01-07T18:15:10Z)
- TLE Wrapped - Ending the Year Strong (2025-12-03T20:21:00Z)
- The real impact TLE has on creative small businesses (video) (2025-10-13T21:33:00Z)
- Tender Loving Empire named one of Portland’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Businesses! (2025-09-30T19:32:37Z)
- Portland Business Journal Covers Our Community-Backed Campaign (2025-09-26T00:25:43Z)
- A Closer Look at TLE's Numbers (2025-09-18T23:26:50Z)
- Invest in Tender Loving Empire — Scalable Retail With a Positive Community Impact (2025-09-17T19:00:24Z)

## Q&A
- Q: I am in the same boat as April who posted before me....
  - A: See below :) Thanks for your investment and your patience!
- Q: I invested in TLE in November 2025 and was/am supposed to receive some goodies (specifically a TLE hoodie, t-shirt, hat, and tote). Yet no one has contacted me about this, and I can't find any information anywhere (online or otherwise) that indicates who to ask or when I can expect to receive these items. I'm excited to be a TLE ambassador – also by wearing your swag! :) – but am unsure about how to make this happen. Can you please advise who I should contact and/or how I can receive these things? Many thanks and GO TLE!!
  - A: Thanks for checking in about our investor perks. We're glad you're excited to receive them! Our WeFunder campaign closes on April 30th. At that point, we'll have our final tally of how many of each item to make. We expect physical perks to ship mid-June and we'll have design previews to share in a few weeks. All discount-related perks are ready to use in stores or on our website now. You should have received an email with that information a while back. Thanks again for your investment! Cheers!
- Q: Hi Jared, I’m Zac Stahlhut with D3VC. We specialize in investment crowdfunding and really like what you’re building. Could you share how your current cash flow and leasing arrangements support expansion and what additional capital might be needed as you grow? We’re also curious about any research or evidence you have that shows how your model would perform competitively and financially in markets beyond Portland. With that in mind, how does your corporate leadership team plan to oversee and execute expansion to new locations? Finally, we’d love to understand how your path back to sustainable profitability after the net losses in 2023 and 2024 informs your expectations for future growth and its impact on your margins. Thanks!
  - A: Hi Zac, Thanks so much for your interest and thoughtful questions. I’m happy to provide more detail on our expansion plans and financial outlook. I've answered each of your questions below. It appears that Wefunder turns this response into a long block of text so feel free to reach out to me at Jared at Tenderlovingempire.com if its too difficult to read and I can send you a cleaner version. Could you share how your current cash flow and leasing arrangements support expansion and what additional capital might be needed as you grow? Currently, we’re managing our operations with a clear eye on growth. A portion of the capital raised through our Wefunder campaign will be used to pay down loans maturing in mid-2026. By August 2026, we anticipate having only 25% of our current monthly debt obligations, which will free up cash flow to support expansion to new markets. This positions us to grow strategically while maintaining financial stability.While we don’t know the exact opportunities that will arise in the next 2-5 years, we estimate that our buildout costs will be ~$200/sq. ft on the street and around $750/sq. Ft in airports. We’re also curious about any research or evidence you have that shows how your model would perform competitively and financially in markets beyond Portland. The only market we’ve expanded to outside Portland is Seattle, with a store at Sea-Tac Airport. That location has grossed approximately $2 million in its first year, demonstrating that our model resonates out of Portland. Our customer base across all locations and web is roughly 50% locals and 50% tourists, so our concept resonates with both locals and visitors. For other markets, we’ve identified cities with strong demographics, high retail and tourism traffic, and a cultural alignment with TLE’s brand — Denver, Austin, Boise, and Los Angeles. We also have a research document analyzing these markets that I’d be happy to share separately, which includes population data, median income, retail corridor analysis, and competitor benchmarking, all indicating a strong fit for our concept. With that in mind, how does your corporate leadership team plan to oversee and execute expansion to new locations? Our corporate leadership team brings deep operational, expansion and creative experience. Brianne and I, along with our heads of operation, creative, marketing, and finance, will oversee market entry through a phased approach, hiring other support staff as we grow. We will look for pilot airport location opportunities in key corridors and then add 1-2 street locations in each market. Each city pilot will be closely monitored, and the leadership team will use these results to optimize operations, staffing, and merchandising for full-scale launches. At this point we are looking to open at least two new locations between 2027 and 2029 Finally, we’d love to understand how your path back to sustainable profitability after the net losses in 2023 and 2024 informs your expectations for future growth and its impact on your margins. In 2023 our loss was due to growth timing issues - we scaled up expenses to support opening our first out-of-state location, only to experience a 6 month delay that was out of our control. In 2024, we started the year in an ice storm that was declared a disaster and was a $200k hit to our top line, found out we had over-projected our Seattle Airport location, AND experienced temporary flight pattern changes at PDX throwing us another $400k curveball. Despite all of that, we were able to respond quickly, do a full re-org, cut expenses, add 3 points to our gross profit percentage, and end the year with a positive EBITDA (NET was a loss). This year we are aiming for 3-4% EBITDA. Next year, as the construction effects at the PDX airport clear up, we're planning for 7-8% EBITDA. For each location we add, our goal is to hit a 30% contribution margin. With the opening of two more locations and the growth of our other verticals, we will be able to reach $14-$15 million with a 10% EBIDTA. These experiences have informed our approach to growth and cost management. Coupled with the planned debt reduction and capital raised from Wefunder, this positions us for profitable expansion while protecting margins. Our pilot budgets for new cities show strong net margins and rapid payback periods, reinforcing the viability of this growth strategy. Our gross margins continue to improve, they currently track at around a 62% blended gross margin. We’re excited about the opportunity to scale TLE’s unique blend of art, music, and craft to new cities while maintaining strong financial discipline. Happy to dive deeper into any of these points or share the market research document if that would be helpful. Best, Jared Mees Co-CEO, Tender Loving Empire
- Q: Sorry for posting again (I can't see an option to "reply" directly to your reply below)... You indicated that I "should have received an email with that information a while back." Indeed, I have been waiting for an email like this ever since investing in November. **I have not received ANY emails** from Tender Loving Empire OR Wefunder, other than confirmation that my $ had been invested (and your newsletters). I have checked my spam folders, also no luck. Can you please tell me who to contact to get this email / figure out where the glitch is? I definitely don't want to miss this, and now I'm concerned that I might not receive the post-April 30 email / notification either. Thanks again!
  - A: Oh no! Thank you so much for letting us know. I will let our Marketing Manager know and we'll make sure you have your discount code right away. Thank you again for the communication. Cheers!
- Q: we for sure can chat. i am wondering what stops anybody from doing what you do? what is your competitive advantage? also, the customers you have now how are they finding out about you? how long does it take to get eat location up and running? what is the biggest thing you think you will need to turn this into a millions in profit business. cause let's face it you will have to do a ton for even your $100 investor to double their money. thanks. zac had a great question. i will email you. can you send me your response to his question. thanks
  - A: John - Thank you for your continued interest in Tender Loving Empire. Our competitive advantage is trifold - 1) We've been doing this for 18 years and have the historical knowledge base on what works for this model, what doesn't, what our customers want, etc. 2) 30% of our sales come from our own line of products - again based on data analysis over time. 3) Our record label is a differentiator. No other retail brand has a soundtrack or the ability to be a part of people's lives in the meaningful way that only music can. Simply put: No one else has successfully scaled a boutique, small-batch product mix and maintained 64% gross margins while doing so and best wishes to anyone who tries, because it's a delicate and complex dance. As I mentioned before, we are projecting a $1m-$1.5m annual EBITDA in 5 years, with steady movement in that direction every year, so we plan to be able to have enough cash on hand to pay investors back with interest if they choose that route with the convertible note - $100 will turn into $135, so not doubled at that point, but a solid, annualized return. In 5 years, we'll be in a position to either enjoy our profitability while paying out dividends, pay back with annualized interest or expand further at which point there is an even greater upshot for investors if they choose to convert to equity. Every location we add contributes around 30% in profit, so the strategy is to simply add more stores while managing corporate overhead. Please email me at brianne@tenderlovingempire.com and we can continue chatting there if you'd like. Cheers!
- Q: Hi there - just want to make sure I understand your model. Is the idea that you are showcasing + selling the products of other artists/makers, and you give them a % of the revenue from those sales (if so, what is that %)? Or do you purchase items wholesale from makers and mark them up? What % of your revenue is attributable to your own line of products? And finally, are your revenue numbers the total gross revenue of your locations BEFORE the revenue % is given to the maker of the products (if this is in fact the model)? Thanks so much.
  - A: Thank you for your question Teddy. Roughly 70% of our revenue comes from selling products made by other artists & makers. Our relationship with them works like traditional retail. We either purchase their products on wholesale and mark them up or sell them on consignment. The other 30% of our sales come from our own line of products. These products have a larger margin and are our secret sauce. Most boutique shops with a small-batch, local product mix like ours have trouble scaling, but our house brand's success sets us apart and allows us to scale. Our gross revenue numbers are top line, before cost of goods. Let me know if you have any other questions or would like to hop on a call. Cheers!
- Q: good mission. I invested in another company at airports, build out is crazy expensive. what I am wondering about is I see where you said you made 2 million in revenue from I believe the SeaTac airport. have you been able to get your cogs and operating expenses down in. those 2 things alone are crushing you.what is your average roi? thanks again love what you are doing just your financials scare me.
  - A: Thank you for your question. I think investments in companies doing business at airports are a good idea because it is very lucrative. Across our airport locations, we have been able to realize a 30% profitability. Our growth strategy from here is simply based on 4-wall economics -- adding more locations that have the same contribution rate. We will be able to open two more airport locations with minimal corporate expenses and project to have a $1-$1.5 million EBITDA once we do. Let me know if you have any other questions or if you'd like to discuss further over a Zoom call. Cheers!
- Q: Maybe this is a small nit, but in the video I hear "this is a profitable business" yet all the data shared here on WeFunder would imply otherwise. Can you please clarify?
  - A: Jeffrey. Not a small nit at all. I'm glad you asked the question and am happy to clarify. What you're referring to, for the benefit of others, is the NET Loss we showed in 2023 and 2024. Our business model has been proven profitable, but our last two years has not been due to some growing pains and calibration periods. We are on track for profitability this year and beyond again. 2021 and 2022 were profitable years - with 9% and 8% NET Profit (13% and 14% EBITDA). In 2023 our loss was due to growth timing issues - we scaled up expenses to support opening our first out-of-state location, only to experience a 6 month delay that was out of our control. In 2024, we started the year in an ice storm that was declared a disaster and was a $200k hit to our top line, found out we had over-projected our Seattle Airport location, AND experienced temporary flight pattern changes at PDX throwing us another $400k curveball last year. Despite all of that, we were able to respond quickly, did a full re-org, cut expenses, added 3 points to our gross profit percentage, and ended the year with a positive EBITDA (NET was a loss). This year we are aiming for 3-4% EBITDA. Next year, as the construction affects at the PDX airport clear up, we're planning for 7-8% EBITDA. For each location we add, our goal is to hit a 30% contribution margin. With the opening of two more locations and the growth of our other verticals, we will be able to hit $14-$15 million with a 10% EBIDTA. Thanks again for the question.