| Industry | E-commerce |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder(s) | Patricia Calfee - Ian Picache |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Owner(s) | Gilt Groupe, Acquired 2010 |
| Website | giltcity.com |
Bergine launched in March 2010 as the first luxury deal-of-the-day site in the United States. Co-founded by husband/wife team Ian Picache and Patricia Calfee,[1] Bergine provided daily "flash-sale" offers to restaurants, spas and boutiques at up to 70% off retail prices.[2] Headquartered in San Francisco, California Bergine presented weekly and daily offers in San Francisco, Napa Valley and Los Angeles.
In October 2010, seven months after launching, Bergine was acquired by Internet retail pioneer, Gilt Groupe and became part of the Gilt City business.[3]
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Created as a luxury version of Groupon, Bergine was the first company to launch in the luxury flash sale space. However, soon after their launch, several companies began re-shaping their own brands to compete with Bergine.
Bergine and Gilt Groupe announced the company sale on October 26, 2010. Every Bergine employee became a Gilt Groupe employee, except for Ian Picache. Patricia Calfee joined Gilt Groupe during transition, but left the company in February 2011.[4] Ian Picache, a venture capitalist formerly with Technology Crossover Ventures and Morgan Stanley, and Patricia Calfee were the sole investors in Bergine.[5] There is heavy speculation that Gilt Groupe founder, Kevin P. Ryan, plans an I.P.O. in 2012.[6]
Married only eight months before launching Bergine, Ian and Patricia often speak about the benefits and stress of working together as a couple. [7] In 2011, they co-founded Roses & Rye, an apparel company for Moms.[8]