Official Black Wall Street
Official Black Wall Street is a curated Shopify-based online marketplace connecting conscious consumers and corporate diversity-procurement buyers with vetted Black-owned brands across 13+ product categories, monetizing via marketplace commissions on its US-only direct-to-consumer storefront.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Official Black Wall Street does
Official Black Wall Street (OBWS) is a curated online marketplace that connects consumers with vetted Black-owned brands. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the company operates a single direct-to-consumer storefront at obws.com and curates sellers across more than thirteen product categories including apparel, beauty, home, wellness, food, kids, tech, gifts, books, art, pet supplies, and services. Its primary customer segment is conscious consumers seeking Black-owned alternatives, with a secondary segment of corporate and enterprise buyers using the platform for diversity-procurement and gifting needs.
The platform is built on Shopify, with monetization through marketplace commissions and transaction fees on goods sold by third-party brand operators. Distribution is a self-serve e-commerce marketplace supplemented by an email newsletter, a blog, and a customer loyalty program (OBWS Rewards). The OBWS Seller Platform handles brand applications and onboarding, structuring a curated two-sided marketplace with the company itself not holding inventory. The business is for-profit, privately held, and operates with a small team of 1-10 employees.
OBWS has built brand equity through earned media, with coverage in Forbes, Essence, Fast Company, Cosmopolitan, Entrepreneur, Today, Black Enterprise, and Cheddar. Founder and CEO Mandy Bowman leads the company. No external funding rounds have been disclosed, and operations remain US-only. The strategic posture combines curated catalog growth, loyalty infrastructure, and an emerging corporate gifting channel as a secondary monetization layer.
Official Black Wall Street firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Official Black Wall Street
- Legal name
- Official Black Wall Street
- Website
- https://officialblackwallstreet.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Official Black Wall Street is a curated Shopify-based online marketplace connecting conscious consumers and corporate diversity-procurement buyers with vetted Black-owned brands across 13+ product categories, monetizing via marketplace commissions on its US-only direct-to-consumer storefront.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Official Black Wall Street industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Marketplace for Black-Owned Brands
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581), Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers (4583), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Home, Furniture & Appliances C2C (CRAFAKAD)
Keywords
Where Official Black Wall Street is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Official Black Wall Street business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission/Transaction Fees: OBWS operates as a multi-vendor marketplace where third-party Black-owned brands sell products and services. The company earns revenue through transaction fees or commissions on sales made through the platform. Sellers apply to join via an application process and list their products in curated categories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing (varies by seller) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Official Black Wall Street product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Official Black Wall Street (OBWS) operates a curated e-commerce marketplace that connects consumers with vetted Black-owned brands across 13+ product categories including apparel, beauty, home goods, wellness, food, kids, tech, and services. The platform vets third-party sellers and earns revenue through transaction fees or commissions on marketplace sales.
Product overview
Official Black Wall Street (OBWS) is a curated e-commerce marketplace platform for Black-owned products and services. The platform consists of the OBWS Marketplace (the core consumer-facing e-commerce site), the OBWS Seller Platform (enabling Black-owned brands to apply and sell), and the OBWS Rewards Program (loyalty incentives for shoppers). The marketplace offers products across 13 distinct categories: Apparel & Accessories, Beauty & Personal Care, Home & Living, Health & Wellness, Food & Beverage, Kids & Baby, Tech & Accessories, Gifts & Occasions, Books & Media & Education, Art & Collectibles, Pet Supplies, and Services. The platform curates, vets, and elevates Black-owned brands, with a focus on quality, care, and cultural impact.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OBWS Marketplace A curated e-commerce marketplace connecting consumers with vetted Black-owned brands across multiple categories including apparel, beauty, home goods, wellness, food, and services. Built on Shopify and serving as the primary destination for conscious consumers seeking Black-owned products.
- OBWS Seller Platform A platform enabling Black-owned brands to apply, list, and sell products through the OBWS marketplace, providing vetted sellers with access to the platform's audience, e-commerce infrastructure, and curated exposure.
- OBWS Rewards Program A loyalty/rewards program that provides points and exclusive benefits to OBWS customers for repeat purchases, driving customer retention and engagement on the marketplace.
- Apparel & Accessories A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring women's clothing, men's clothing, gender-neutral apparel, kids apparel, shoes, bags, jewelry, hats, loungewear, and outerwear from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Beauty & Personal Care A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring skincare, haircare, beard grooming, body care, makeup, fragrance, bath products, oral care, beauty tools, and salon services from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Home & Living A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring home décor, furniture, kitchen and dining, bedding, wall art, candles, storage, and cleaning products from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Health & Wellness A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies, fitness, teas, self-care kits, meditation tools, and wellness products from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Food & Beverage A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring snacks, sauces, spices, baked goods, beverages, vegan foods, meal kits, and alcohol from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Kids & Baby A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring kids apparel, toys, educational games, books, nursery décor, and baby care products from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Tech & Accessories A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring phone accessories, headphones, speakers, wearables, smart devices, and laptop/tablet accessories from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Gifts & Occasions A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring holiday gifts, birthday gifts, wedding items, baby shower products, corporate gifts, and personalized items from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Books, Media & Education A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring fiction and nonfiction books, children's books, cookbooks, journals, planners, and educational resources from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Art & Collectibles A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring original art, prints, posters, handmade crafts, and photography from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Pet Supplies A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring pet food, treats, toys, accessories, apparel, grooming products, beds, and furniture from vetted Black-owned brands.
- Services A product category within the OBWS marketplace featuring business services, marketing, coaching, consulting, event planning, financial services, health services, photography, beauty services, and cleaning services from vetted Black-owned providers.
Companies that use Official Black Wall Street
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Official Black Wall Street technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Official Black Wall Street partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Official Black Wall Street competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- We Buy Black: Online marketplace dedicated to Black-owned businesses, offering multi-category goods from apparel to home. Closest direct competitor to OBWS given overlapping mission, target consumers, and curated seller model.
- The Folklore: E-commerce platform curating luxury and contemporary Black-owned fashion and lifestyle brands. Comparable as a curated, identity-focused marketplace targeting consumers seeking premium Black-owned products.
- Support Black Owned: Directory and marketplace hub for Black-owned businesses across product and service categories. Direct peer as an early-stage platform serving the same conscious-consumer segment.
Broad incumbents
- Etsy: Established global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and curated goods. Competes with OBWS for sellers and shoppers across artisan apparel, beauty, home, and gift categories at significantly greater scale.
- Amazon Handmade: Amazon's curated marketplace for handcrafted goods. Overlaps with OBWS in artisan categories and competes for the same independent-brand seller pool.
- Faire: Wholesale marketplace connecting independent brands with retailers. Adjacent business model to OBWS, competing for the same independent brand supply across apparel, beauty, and home categories.
Emerging players
- Novi: White-label marketplace platform provider for trade associations and member-based groups. Relevant peer given OBWS's reliance on Shopify infrastructure and potential need for more bespoke marketplace tooling as it scales.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Official Black Wall Street social profiles
Digital presenceOfficial Black Wall Street financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Official Black Wall Street leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Official Black Wall Street funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Official Black Wall Street M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Official Black Wall Street
What does Official Black Wall Street do?
Official Black Wall Street (OBWS) operates a curated e-commerce marketplace that connects consumers with vetted Black-owned brands across 13+ product categories including apparel, beauty, home goods, wellness, food, kids, tech, and services. The platform vets third-party sellers and earns revenue through transaction fees or commissions on marketplace sales.
Is Official Black Wall Street a public or private company?
Official Black Wall Street is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Official Black Wall Street founded?
Official Black Wall Street was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Official Black Wall Street based?
Official Black Wall Street is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Official Black Wall Street make money?
One revenue line is on record: marketplace Commission/Transaction Fees.
Who are Official Black Wall Street's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are We Buy Black, The Folklore and Support Black Owned. Broad incumbents are Etsy, Amazon Handmade and Faire. Novi is listed as an emerging player.
Does Official Black Wall Street have an API?
No public API is recorded for Official Black Wall Street.
What industry is Official Black Wall Street in?
Official Black Wall Street's product category is Online Marketplace for Black-Owned Brands. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAKAD, Home, Furniture & Appliances C2C. Its NAICS code is 4581 and its SIC code is 5940.