Bed Bath & Beyond announced Wednesday that it will no longer operate stores in California, citing the state’s “overregulated” business environment. Executive chairman Marcus Lemonis said California’s policies make it “nearly impossible for businesses to succeed.”
“This decision isn’t about politics — it’s about reality,” Lemonis wrote in a statement on X. He added that the state’s higher taxes, fees, and wages create a challenging environment for businesses, employees, and customers alike.
Despite the closures, the company said it will continue marketing products to Californians through online ordering, a move Lemonis said will eliminate “the inflated costs created by an unsustainable model.”
Lemonis framed the decision as a stand for “common sense,” emphasizing that businesses deserve the chance to succeed, employees deserve stable jobs, and customers deserve fair prices.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded on X, noting, “After their bankruptcy and closure of every store, like most Americans, we thought Bed, Bath & Beyond no longer existed,” adding a sarcastic comment about the company’s attempts to reopen.
The announcement comes as Bed Bath & Beyond attempts a comeback after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in April 2023, which forced the liquidation of all retail locations. In 2024, the company merged with Kirkland’s Home and rebranded.
Lemonis told Fox News that the company plans to open 300 “smaller format ‘neighborhood’” stores across the U.S., with the first “Bed Bath & Beyond Home” location opening in Nashville earlier this month.