Bed Bath & Beyond closes 4 Southern California stores, plans to shutter 36 more locations (Amazon effect?)

Orange County Register ^ | 1/23/2020 | KEVIN SMITH

[vespa300]

Brick-and-mortar retail took another hit this week when Bed Bath & Beyond announced it will shutter 40 stores this year, including four Southern California locations that have already closed.

All of the stores on the list, spread throughout 19 states, are expected to close within the next six months, the New Jersey-based company said.

[PIF]

many mall parking lots are littered with trash and garbage including needles, used diapers - both baby and adult, containers of urine and feces.

Getting out of one’s vehicle can mean wading and kicking aside trash to get to the stores. Some malls feature a permanent police cruiser presence. Many shoppers consider the mall access roads their personal speedway.

[mewzilla]

But I’d be willing to bet NYS has far more vacant retail space than Florida.

[Zhang Fei]

It’s not so much bricks-and-mortar are dead, as big box stores with a great deal of space between SKU’s are dead. Most of these store chains need to go on a diet, space-wise, and price-wise. The first should lead to the second, but these chains aren’t taking the hint. Macy’s cannot survive if its typical store is 5x the typical TJ Maxx. It’s not just the rent - it’s the staffing needed to keep theft down and deal with customer queries.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

It amazes me that Bed, Bath & Beyond lasted as long as it did. Its merchandise is incredibly over-priced.

[Mercat]

Good. BB&B is garbage. I’ve been in one maybe 3 times and never had a good experience.

[MrEdd]

It’s a victim of it’s own clueless management.
There is a store over in the nearest big town.
In the section with the silverware and cutlery there is not one long handled teaspoon to be found.
No icepicks.
A constant litany of missing basics.

They have little electronic knickknacks trying to anticipate the latest fad.

Their kitchenware and place settings are haphazard at best.

[Zhang Fei]

[But I’d be willing to bet NYS has far more vacant retail space than Florida.]

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I was amazed at how many vacant storefronts there were on 14th St near Union Square. What are the landlords waiting for? The rents at the peak? They ain’t never coming back.

[dfwgator]

Always think in terms of differentiation.

What can you do in a brick and mortar store that cannot be done online?

Well, for one, if you hire staff who know their stuff and can explain and educate potential buyers, and can build a sense of trust with customers, that is something that can’t be done online.

[setter]

Our local mall is about dead. Sears gone, Elder Berman gone, now Maceys.

I do see niche stores opening around town and they seem to be doing well.

[Artemis Webb]

Indeed.
Very high prices. There is nothing available at Bed Bath and Beyond that can’t be had at Amazon, and sometimes at Wal-Mart, for significantly less.

[Zhang Fei]

[They are also opening a new Cost Plus/World Market in the same shopping Center.]

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As a clueless long suffering shareholder who only looked at the numbers, I just discovered they are part of the same company. I’ve never entered a World Market. How does it compare to a Bed Bath and Beyond?

[Fiji Hill]

That’s unfortunate. I don’t like to shop online. I like to be able to physically handle whatever I’m shopping for—especially shoes and clothing. You can’t try something on through the computer screen.

And I like to be able to immediately take the item home after I’ve purchased it. I don’t like having to wait days or weeks for it and then risk losing it to porch pirates when it is delivered.

[heavy metal]

adjust to the changing market and rename it bed bath & bong...
problem solved...

[from occupied ga]

I like BB&B, but in the last couple of years I’ve probably spent a total of $500 there. They’re not going to stay in business because of me. Their prices are competitive. I was shopping for a robot vacuum for christmas and got it there. Better than Amazon at the time.

[laplata]

I like to walk around B B & B just to see some of the cool stuff.

[Red Badger]

Probably so.

The Mall has been shrinking for a while now.

We lost Sears, this past year, Hallmark, Radioshack, American Eagle, Belk’s, Gordon’s Jewelers, Zales jewelry, The GAP, Kirkland’s, 5-7-9 Shops, and several others I can’t recall.....................

[EEGator]

I was thinking of going to Bed Bath & Beyond this Saturday, but I don’t know if I’ll have enough time.

[fireman15]

Some of the malls we used to go to became dangerous places as well. By staying home and ordering the same items on line you usually save money, and time, do not risk being accosted by aggressive pan handlers and avoid seeing all the garbage and nonsense polluting your community.

[9YearLurker]

Or just the creative destruction of capitalism.

I ordered a little fry toaster oven from True Value this week for $34. I could have got the same model from BB&B for $89. ($40-something from Walmart and Amazon.)

[laplata]

Many people like hands on shopping. Your robot vacuum is a good example of that.