The Bed Bath & Beyond flagship store in New York City at 620 6th Avenue.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
Bed Bath & Beyond officially opens the doors of its newly remodeled flagship location in New York City on Thursday morning.
For nearly three decades, the approximately 92,000-square-foot site on 6th Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood was largely untouched. Fortifications have been dated. The goods piled higher and higher up to the ceiling. The signage was dark and the lower level felt like a dungeon, CEO Mark Tritton noted during a media tour of the store this week.
The converted space no longer looks like it did before. Thursday morning shoppers will find open windows next to a coffee shop area, a unique SodaStream bar, wider aisles, less merchandise, new brands – including a number of Bed Bath & Beyond’s own – and bright, modern branding.
It is one of the first of 450 Bed Bath & Beyond locations to be remodeled over the next three years. An important part of Tritton’s turnaround strategy is to invest around $ 250 million in refreshment to attract new customers and get existing customers to return.
The Chelsea site now has a sprawling health and wellness area, which retailers say will encourage frequent visits to their stores and help build larger, more profitable shopping carts.
“This is really a reflection of the remodeling we’re going to be doing over the next three years,” said Tritton. “But there won’t be anything like this Chelsea store.”
The store used to be crammed with goods piled to the ceiling.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
The Chelsea location also provides space for Bed Bath & Beyond’s own brands to shine. This is at the heart of Tritton’s turnaround plan. He takes a page from the playbook of big box rival Target, where he previously served as chief merchant and helped develop a number of successful private labels from the ground up.
Bed Bath & Beyond plans to launch at least eight own brands in fiscal 2021 and more than 10 in the next three years. Some that have hit the market in the past few months include a line of storage containers called Squared Away; a bathing brand known as Haven; and a range of housewares nicknamed Bee & Willow.
Bed Bath & Beyond’s chief merchandising officer, Joe Hartsig, has taken back merchandise in certain categories such as travel that had not sold as well in the past at this Chelsea location to make room for more bedding and bath products .
Reducing inventory also gave Bed Bath & Beyond the ability to sort and organize inventory by brand, price, and sometimes color, he said.
“We know that it is difficult to shop in our stores,” said Hartsig on the store tour with Tritton. “So we really tried to make it easier to navigate the hallways … the wider hallways are very clean. The presentation is very narrow.”
Customers in this store can also take advantage of a new scan and buy feature recently introduced on the Bed Bath & Beyond mobile app that allows shoppers to bypass the checkout and pay in-store from their phone.
Here is a first look inside.
Bed Bath & Beyond’s own brands, such as Our Table, are highlighted throughout.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
A place at the front of the store will alternate with seasonal goods. It is currently devoted to back-to-college products.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
A unique SodaStream station of its kind is being staffed so customers can design their own flavored mineral water beverages.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
And there is a coffee bar right at the street entrance.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
A health and beauty section at the back of the store has everything from travel-size soaps to vitamins and makeup.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond
Buyers can find bed linen and bath products on the ground floor.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
Customers can also purchase mattresses and pillows from a small Casper shop in this store.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR
The checkout area includes 14 self-checkout stations for quick journeys.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond PR