Hive
Hive (dba Hive Modern) is a Portland, Oregon-based authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, lighting, and accessories from 70+ brands, serving residential consumers and the architecture and design trade primarily through its e-commerce platform, showroom, and A&D Trade Program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Hive does
Hive, doing business as Hive Modern, is a Portland, Oregon-based authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, lighting, and home accessories, founded in 2002 and operating as an independent, privately-held company with 11–50 employees. The company sells seating, tables, shelving, storage, bedroom furniture, outdoor furniture, lighting, and a broad assortment of home accessories, drawing on a portfolio of more than 70 international brands including Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Knoll, Vitra, Cassina, Emeco, Erik Jorgensen, E15, and EDITS. Its product mix centers on authentic, licensed designer pieces (e.g., Eames Lounge Chairs priced at $7,325–$11,820), with 90% of items shipping free and operations anchored at a Portland warehouse located in sales-tax-free Oregon.
The business runs on an e-commerce-first model through hivemodern.com, supplemented by a public showroom in Portland, phone-based sales support, and an annual printed and digital catalog (Issue 12 referenced). A dedicated A&D Trade Professionals Program—offering registered trade pricing, project quotes, and 24/7 online ordering—serves architects, interior designers, and builders as the company's primary customer segment, with individual residential consumers forming the secondary segment. Technology is limited to a standard e-commerce stack: an online storefront with account management, order tracking, and trade program functionality, plus Stripe for payment processing; the company has no disclosed app, API, or proprietary technology assets.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time direct product sales at unit-based pricing, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue streams. The company shows no external funding, no parent or subsidiary structure, no M&A activity, no disclosed leadership team, and no patents, certifications, or awards in the available data. Geographic reach is restricted to the continental United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), with international shipping not supported.
Hive firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hive
- Legal name
- Hive
- Website
- https://hivemodern.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hive (dba Hive Modern) is a Portland, Oregon-based authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, lighting, and accessories from 70+ brands, serving residential consumers and the architecture and design trade primarily through its e-commerce platform, showroom, and A&D Trade Program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Hive is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hive business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: One-time sales of designer furniture, lighting, and accessories through e-commerce platform and showroom. Products sourced from authorized manufacturers and delivered to customers.
- Trade Program Sales: Specialized pricing and support services for architecture and design professionals, providing competitive trade pricing and dedicated consultation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail pricing for individual consumers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trade pricing for architects and designers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Hive product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hive is an authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, lighting, and home accessories, offering products from over 70 international brands such as Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Knoll, Vitra, Cassina, Emeco, Erik Jorgensen, and E15. The company sells through its e-commerce site hivemodern.com, a Portland showroom, and a dedicated A&D Trade Program for architecture and design professionals, with most orders shipping free.
Product overview
Hive is an authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, offering a curated portfolio of seating, tables, storage, lighting, and accessories from over 70 international brands. The product offering centers on designer furniture and lighting across categories including seating (chairs, sofas, stools), tables (dining, coffee, side, desks), shelving and storage, bedroom furniture, outdoor furniture, and home accessories. The portfolio features notable brands such as Fritz Hansen, Herman Miller, Emeco, Erik Jorgensen, E15, Vitra, Cassina, Knoll, and many others, representing designers including Hans Wegner, Charles & Ray Eames, Philippe Starck, and Jaime Hayon. Services include an A&D Trade Program for design professionals and an annual catalog. The company operates as an authorized dealer offering authentic, licensed products with free shipping on most orders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Designer Furniture
Companies that use Hive
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hive technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Hive partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Be Original AmericasminorHive supports Be Original Americas, an industry initiative dedicated to combating counterfeit furniture and promoting authentic design.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hive competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- YLighting: Specialized online retailer of modern designer lighting from premium European and American manufacturers. Highly comparable to Hive's lighting category and trade program, though with greater depth in lighting and less breadth in furniture.
- 2Modern: Online retailer of modern and contemporary designer furniture, lighting, and accessories from premium brands. Comparable to Hive in product mix, target customer (design-conscious consumers and A&D professionals), and e-commerce-led distribution model.
- Room & Board: Modern American furniture retailer with a curated assortment of contemporary and modern designs, primarily manufactured in the US. Comparable to Hive in targeting design-conscious residential consumers and design professionals, though Room & Board emphasizes its own designs and US manufacturing rather than licensed European designer brands.
- Lumens: Online retailer specializing in modern designer lighting, furniture, and home accessories from premium brands. Comparable to Hive as a multi-brand authorized retailer of designer lighting and furnishings with a strong trade program and similar A&D customer base.
- Horne: Specialized retailer of iconic modern designer furniture and lighting with a curated selection of premium brands. Highly comparable to Hive as a curator of high-design licensed products serving both residential and trade customers.
- Design Within Reach: Authorized retailer of modern designer furniture and home accessories with a strong trade program serving architects and interior designers. Now owned by MillerKnoll following Herman Miller's acquisition, DWR is the most direct competitor to Hive, offering overlapping brands (Eames, Nelson, Knoll, Herman Miller) and a similar e-commerce plus showroom model.
Broad incumbents
- Herman Miller / MillerKnoll: Manufacturer of iconic modern furniture including the Eames Lounge Chair and Aeron, with its own retail network (Herman Miller stores) and ownership of Design Within Reach. Operates as both a key Hive supplier and an indirect competitor through DWR and direct retail channels.
- Blu Dot: Mid-market modern furniture designer and retailer with its own branded products and a small number of own-brand showrooms. Comparable to Hive in modern design aesthetic but operates its own brand portfolio rather than carrying licensed designer brands.
- West Elm (Williams-Sonoma): National modern home furnishings retailer with hundreds of physical stores and a large e-commerce operation. Competes with Hive at lower price points in the modern/contemporary furniture category but lacks Hive's licensed designer brand portfolio and A&D trade program depth.
Emerging players
- Article: Direct-to-consumer modern furniture retailer offering contemporary designs at mid-market price points. Adjacent to Hive but positioned at lower price points and serving a younger, more mass-market consumer rather than the premium designer niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hive social profiles
Digital presenceHive financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hive leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hive funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hive 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 Hive
What does Hive do?
Hive is an authorized retailer of modern designer furniture, lighting, and home accessories, offering products from over 70 international brands such as Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Knoll, Vitra, Cassina, Emeco, Erik Jorgensen, and E15. The company sells through its e-commerce site hivemodern.com, a Portland showroom, and a dedicated A&D Trade Program for architecture and design professionals, with most orders shipping free.
Is Hive a public or private company?
Hive is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hive founded?
Hive was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hive based?
Hive is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hive make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are trade Program Sales.
Who are Hive's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are YLighting, 2Modern, Room & Board, Lumens, Horne and Design Within Reach. Broad incumbents are Herman Miller / MillerKnoll, Blu Dot and West Elm (Williams-Sonoma). Article is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hive have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hive.