Bed Bath & Beyond is on a path to revival by reopening in California, despite some doubts about its chances of success.
Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis has emphasized that this move isn’t politically motivated, but rather a reaction to the challenging business climate in the state.
“California presents a highly regulated, costly, and at times risky landscape for businesses,” Lemonis noted. “This environment complicates hiring, maintaining operations, and providing value to customers.”
Lemonis mentioned that the retailer has locations in “nearly every other state,” suggesting a broader strategy.
This announcement comes as homeware retailers prepare to bounce back two years post-bankruptcy.
The first revamped Bed Bath & Beyond outlet, under the name Bed Bath & Beyond Bedding Home, recently opened in Nashville.
This journey has been significant for the formerly popular home goods chain that shuttered in 2023. Following its bankruptcy, Overstock.com took over its intellectual assets and rebranded them.
Earlier in the year, Kirkland’s, another retail chain with about 300 locations, acquired ownership and plans to transition their stores into Bed Bath & Beyond locations gradually.
Depending on how Nashville’s reopening is received, the company aims to have around 75 stores converted by 2026.
Lemonis, alongside other American businessmen, communicates that shoppers in California can still access products online.
Aside from his business endeavors, Lemonis is widely recognized as a television personality, notably starring in CNBC’s reality series “The Profit,” and has appeared in episodes of “The Celebrity Apprentice.”
Last year, he encountered issues with a local government figure in Northern California regarding the display of a large American flag at Camping World.
