Could This Bankrupt Retailer Return to Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin?

It's been two years since this retailer closed its brick and mortar locations. It has been operating as an online-only retailer ever since. Unlike most stores, where a path to return to market ubiquity is murky, however, this one is poised to make a return to the marketplace.

It's no secret that the last few years have been a brutal stretch for big box retailers. Big Lots shut down a couple different Iowa stores. Party City is going out of business, with stores in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin closing soon. Kohl's announced they would be closing 27 stores, two of which in Illinois. Joann, who has a store in Dubuque, announced a "going out of business sale," while Hooters announced it would be entering bankruptcy too. Furthermore, At Home announced a swath of closures as well.

READ MORE: Joann Fabrics' Dead Husk Reanimated as Spirit Halloween in Dubuque

Now, Bed Bath & Beyond is looking to be the retailer that comes back from the dead after closing hundreds of stores following its bankruptcy in 2023. Overstock.com purchased Bed Bath & Beyond upon its bankruptcy filing, and took the chain in the direction of an online-only retailer.

Now, the business has unveiled a new name for its parent company in The Brand House Collective following a shareholder meeting in July, per WTHR's website. The grand opening for the first "Bed Bath & Beyond Home" store in Brentwood, TN is set for Friday, August 8th, 2025.

That has some speculating whether or not Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin could see a new Bed Bath & Beyond store open sometime in the new future. A statement from the CEO of The Brand House Collective suggests that these new iterations of brick and mortar businesses will be different than the previous:

We're proud to reintroduce one of retail's most iconic names with the launch of Bed Bath & Beyond Home, beautifully reimagined for how families gather at home today. This isn't just a store, it's a fresh start for a brand that means something special to so many families. With Bed Bath & Beyond Home we're delivering on our mission to offer great brands, for any budget, in every room. It's a powerful addition to our portfolio and a meaningful step forward in our transformation - Amy Sullivan, CEO of The Brand House Collective, per WTHR's website

Existing Kirkland's Home stores are said to provide the ideal framework for new Bed Bath & Beyond Home stores. At this time, however, the aforementioned parent company has no confirmed where the Bed Bath & Beyond Home stores will be located.

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Five more stores are planned in the Nashville area, with 75 Kirkland's Home stores to be transitioned into Bed Bath & Beyond Home stores through 2026, suggesting the parent company's diligent research has shown the company can be viable in a smaller state.

This all sounds similar to Toys "R" Us, the company that enjoyed a phenomenal run from the late 1940s through the mid-2010s. With the rise of brick and mortar competition and online commerce, Toys "R" Us struggled to compete. Coupled with a significant debt load as a result of a leveraged buyout, the domestically popular toy store filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and 2018 before closing all of its stores by 2021.

Since then, Toys "R" Us has been making what you might call a "soft" comeback. Over 400 Toys "R" Us locations have opened inside existing Macy's locations, and flagship stores were erected in New Jersey and in the Mall of America in the last couple years. Now, the Chicago region has a Toys "R" Us of their own once again! Illinois' first "new" Toys "R" Us store now exists inside Harlem Irving Plaza in Chicago's suburban Norridge village.

READ MORE: Nostalgic Toy Stores Makes a Comeback in Chicago Mall

Time will tell if Bed Bath & Beyond, a company known for its deep-stock of bedsheets, towels, and bathroom/kitchen accoutrements, can be as successful in its new iteration. For more information, visit WTHR's website.