2 bankrupt liquidated retailers making brick-and-mortar comebacks
While many brands that go through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation come back in name only, these brands are opening physical stores.
You could create a pretty impressive mall out of the large retail brands that have closed since the 1990s.
Caldor and Ames would give you some great discount options while Fashion Bug, Chess King, Casual Corner, Delia's, Merry Go Round and Today's Man could meet your clothing needs.
The sporting-goods option for this ghost mall would be impressive as well. Sports Authority could serve as an anchor store while Modell's and Olympia Sports would also be popular options.
Walden Books and Borders Books & More would both be good options for readers while Osco Drug could be your drugstore.
Related: Popular grocery store brand faces bankruptcy, survival risk
CompUSA and Crazy Eddie could meet your electronics needs while Sharper Image might be a good choice as a specialty retailer.
This mythical mall of dearly departed stores could also add some recently closed retailers. Tuesday Morning, Christmas Tree Shops, and Bed Bath & Beyond were all recently liquidated while Pier 1 Imports and Petland Discounts closed just a few years ago.
A few liquidated brands are not on this list because they have made improbable brick-and-mortar comebacks. Toys "R" Us, for example, has opened store-within-a-store concepts inside Macy's M, and it will open a new flagship store at the Mall of America for the 2023 holiday season.
And what had been Overstock took on Bed Bath's name.
Now, two more dearly departed brands will join Toys "R" Us in making a brick-and-mortar comeback. Image source: TheStreet
BuyBuy Baby is about to open new stores
BuyBuy Baby got dragged into Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation by its parent, Bed Bath & Beyond. But unlike the main brand its assets were not acquired by the former Overstock.com. Instead, the baby brand was purchased by one of its vendors, Dream on Me.
"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 shared its plans in an FAQ on the retailer's newly reopened website.
The BuyBuy Baby e-commerce site and stores have been liquidated and closed due to bankruptcy. But BuyBuy Baby is now under new ownership and is working on relaunching an elevated online and in-store experience soon," the company said.
With its website having already started selling, the new owner will reopen 11 brick-and-mortar stores on Nov. 18. Dream on Me has not said whether it plans to increase the number of physical BuyBuy Baby stores going forward.
Circuit City has a physical store comeback plan
Circuit City's liquidation in 2009 marked a sad end for a chain that once rivaled Best Buy BBY in the electronics and appliances space.
Like its rival, the big-box electronics retailer suffered from Amazon's growth and what's called showrooming, where customers would shop at Circuit City or Best Buy, but buy on Amazon.
Under new owners, Circuit City reemerged as a digital brand in 2018.
Now, the revived electronic retailer has opened a Series A funding round to launch “Powered by Circuit City” partnerships, which "will seamlessly integrate Circuit City’s electronics expertise and global brand awareness with other platforms, both online and in-store," the company said in a news release.
The new Circuit City is a digital-first brand but will also have an in-store presence.
"'Powered by Circuit City' brings a store-in-store concept to our partners, both online and in-store. Our first pilot recently launched with JCPenney. We are powering their online sales for consumer electronics and have in-store placements in 288 select locations," the company said in an email to TheStreet.
The new Circuit City plans to add new partners in 2024 and expand its digital and brick-and-mortar operations.
"A pioneering store-in-store concept will be the centerpiece of these collaborations, empowering customers of established well-known national companies to explore and purchase a range of electronics, curated by Circuit City," the company added.
"The ventures amplify Circuit City’s reach, giving shoppers an integrated experience while blending other products with cutting-edge technology."
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