A total of 10 shoppers meandered the vast and visibly sparse aisles of a Bed Bath & Beyond in Northern Virginia on a recent Sunday.
"Is it me or is it particularly cold in here?" one shopper asked another, pushing an empty cart past a wall of identical comforters. She scanned the bare cul-de-sac of home decor that displayed a few mirrors and a scuffed wall shelf. A fluorescent light buzzed and flickered overhead.
