Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., owner of Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock, Buybuy BABY and a blockchain asset portfolio, has announced plans to launch a national Bed Bath & Beyond franchise system, giving local entrepreneurs a chance to own and operate one of the home retail brand’s stores.
“Our goal is to grow Bed Bath & Beyond in the most capital-efficient manner,” said Marcus Lemonis, executive chairman of Bed Bath & Beyond. “This system enables local owners to deliver personal service and local flavor while leveraging our national infrastructure, marketing and technology.”
“Bed Bath & Beyond’s growth has always been fueled by America’s leading home brands, and its strength continues to come from the local communities it serves,” reads a statement about the company’s intent. “This new model allows the company to operate a smaller footprint of corporate stores nationwide while a complementary franchise network extends its reach, touching nearly every major community in America.”
Franchise locations will feature turnkey formats of a traditional Bed Bath & Beyond, including home, kitchen living, storage and organization and a seasonal Holiday Shoppe. Franchisees will also share in the economics of BedBathandBeyond.com, unifying in-store and online customer experiences under one brand. Approximately 80 percent of each store’s assortment will be curated by Bed Bath & Beyond, with 20 percent localized by franchisees to highlight regional products and designers.
“Our team, led by Ron Taylor, vice president of franchise development, is collaborating with Amy Sullivan from the Retail Omnichannel organization; Tom Spadea, co-founder of Spadea Lignana Franchise Attorneys; and Brian Luciani, chief growth officer at SMB Franchise Advisors,” Lemonis said. “Together, they will provide franchisees with expert guidance, operational support and oversight to ensure brand standards and execution remain consistent nationwide.”
Franchisees will have access to tokenization through Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.’s tZERO platform to provide capital efficiency, easy equity raises and democratized ownership. This approach complements, and in some cases may replace, traditional Small Business Administration financing, giving franchisees more flexibility to raise capital and engage local investors through digital infrastructure, Lemonis said.
Franchisees will also have access to Bed Bath & Beyond’s suite of AI-powered tools and data analytics capabilities, enabling owners to forecast demand, manage inventory and optimize merchandising and staffing decisions using real-time insights.
Bed Bath & Beyond expects to complete preparations and franchise documentation within six months, the company said.