Applications open · Across America
Your shop has a story.
Let's tell it together.
Tongraal is a curated platform for physical independent shops — the ones with a real address, a real owner, and objects that mean something. We review every application by hand.
✦
Physical shops only
✦
Every application reviewed by hand
✦
No dropshipping, ever
✦
Owner-operated stores
Is Tongraal right for you?
We are selective by design. Here's who we accept — and who we don't.
🏪
Physical storefront
You have a real address anywhere in the United States that customers can walk into. A studio with visiting hours counts.
🚫
No dropshipping
We don't accept shops that resell mass-market products from external suppliers without curation or physical presence.
🤲
Made or curated with intention
You make your objects, or you select them with a specific point of view — handmade, vintage, locally sourced, or beautifully designed.
👤
Owner-operated
There's a real person behind the shop. We feature you as a human being, not a brand. Your story is part of your listing.
🏭
No franchise or chain
Tongraal is for independent shops only. If you have more than 3 locations, we're probably not the right fit — yet.
📦
No pure e-commerce
Online-only shops are not accepted. You need a real place people can visit. Even a studio with appointment hours counts.
The Founding 100
What founding shops receive.
A numbered place on the founders' wall — No. 1 to 100, assigned in order of verified approval. Your number is yours forever, and so are your founding conditions.
🥇
A founding number
Plus free for a year · 0% commission for 90 days
A profile page written by hand with you — your story, your craft, your street — plus a ready-to-post announcement kit to share with your own community.
📰
A story told properly
Editorial profile · announcement kit included
A direct line to the founder and a real vote on what we build next — categories, features, cities. Founding shops aren't customers; they're co-builders.
🤝
A voice that counts
Founders' circle · you shape the platform
100
The Founding 100 — build Tongraal with us. 🤝
The first
100 shops become
Founding Shops:
Plus free for a full year,
0% commission for your first 90 days,
a numbered founding badge on your profile, and a real voice in what we build next.
Not customers — co-founders of the movement.
See the wall of founders →
What happens after you apply?
No automated screening. No bots. Every application is verified by a real person — that's the whole point of Tongraal.
1
We read your story
A real person reads your application — your story, your photos, your Instagram. We look for craft, character, and a shop with a soul.
2
We find your door on the map 🗺️
We look up your address on Google Street View and match it to your storefront photo. A real sign, on a real street, with your name on it. If your door exists, you're almost in.
3
We verify the person & the business 🪪
Your ID confirms a real human stands behind the counter, and your business document confirms it's a registered business in that same name — then both are deleted. No resellers, no fronts, no anonymous catalogs. Ever.
4
You go live — verified ✓
Decision within 3 days, with a reason either way. Approved shops get a personal welcome call, the verified badge, and a profile page that tells your story.