Bed Bath & Beyond left a lot of destruction in its wake.
The brand itself is now owned by the former Overstock.com. On Nov. 6, Overstock will officially become Beyond Inc. and will change its ticker to BYON from OSTK.
Over its history, Bed Bath & Beyond purchased Harmon Discount Health & Beauty, which took on the less wordy, but much less clear, name Harmon Face Values. The retailer owned that chain through 2023 when it was liquidated along with the parent brand.
Related: Essential retailer closing more stores in bankruptcy
The company also owned One Kings Lane, a digital luxury furniture retailer, and Decorist, a provider of online interior-design services. One Kings Lane still exists but it's owned by CSC Generation, the same company that owns Z Gallerie, another retail chain that has entered the liquidation phase of bankruptcy.
So far, One Kings Lane remains operational while Decorist was abruptly closed in 2022 when it was still owned by Bed Bath & Beyond. Cost Plus World Market, another former retail brand owned by the old Bed Bath & Beyond, was sold to Kingswood Capital Management LP in 2021.
Bed Bath & Beyond's last owned-and-operated brand, BuyBuy Baby, was shut down alongside the parent brand. Its assets and intellectual property were bought by its former vendor, Dream on Me, which has shared a bold plan to bring back the company, not just as a digital brand but as a brick-and-mortar retailer.
Image source: TheStreet
BuyBuy Baby making a major comeback
In many cases, when a deceased retail brand makes a comeback, it leverages its name without committing real resources. That's what happened with Sharper Image, a once high-flying retailer that was liquidated and had its assets purchased by another company.
The new owner used the familiar name on products that vaguely evoke the former brand but at a much lower quality.
In some cases, like Toys "R" Us, the brand gets used in stores — Macy's has put the Toys "R" Us name on its toy section — but it's still just an attempt to leverage nostalgia.
That's not what's happening with BuyBuy Baby. The chain is being brought back again in a big-box brick-and-mortar format. The chain's new owner has relaunched its website and plans to open new stores.
"Buybuy Baby is under new ownership and will be relaunched soon. We can’t wait for you to experience the new Buybuy Baby and to welcome you back," the company said.
The new BuyBuy Baby website is a low-key affair where some expense seems to have been spared. The very basic site does have an FAQ section, which outlines some details of the chain's return.
"What happened to Buybuy Baby? The Buybuy Baby e-commerce site and stores have been liquidated and closed due to bankruptcy. However, Buybuy Baby is now under new ownership and is working on relaunching an elevated online and in-store experience soon," the website offers.
Not every former Buybuy Baby store will reopen. The new owner will start with 11 locations where the chain formerly operated.
"Dream on Me, which recently bought BuyBuy Baby’s brand and digital assets for $15.5 million, was the successful bidder for 11 store leases at a bankruptcy auction for about $1.17 million, court records filed last week show," Retail Dive reported.
The new owner of BuyBuy Baby actually bid on 20 of the chain's former locations. Dream on Me has not said much about its overall plans. It did make a statement when it bought the brand in July.
Dream on Me's "track record of excellence in the industry, combined with its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction, makes it the ideal choice to revitalize BuyBuy Baby," the chain's new owner said.
"D.O.M. intends to use its deep understanding of the growing needs of modern families, wealth of expertise, resources, and fresh perspective to create an extraordinary retail experience that captures the essence of quality, convenience, and the personal touch that customers have come to expect from Buybuy Baby."
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