Bed Bath & Beyond Refusing To Open Stores In CA — But Newsom's Unbothered

The head of Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced that the company will not be opening any stores in California, citing the state’s business climate, calling for “common sense” — and eliciting pointed indifference from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The home furnishings giant filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and closed its stores, including over 40 in California, but has since changed hands and now plans to open 300 locations nationwide over the next two years, according to FOX Business, none of which will be in the Golden State.

“This decision isn’t about politics — it’s about reality,” Executive Chairman Marcus Lemonis said in a prepared statement. “California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America. It’s a system that makes it harder to employ people, harder to keep doors open, and harder to deliver value to customers.

“The result? Higher taxes, higher fees, higher wages that many businesses simply cannot sustain, and endless regulations that strangle growth.”

Californians will still be able to buy Bed Bath & Beyond products online with two-day delivery or less, Lemonis clarified.

Newsom did not seem concerned about the chain’s Aug. 20 statement.

“The company that already went bankrupt and closed every store across the country two years ago? Ok,” he posted on X in response to the announcement.

The governor's press office sounded off on Lemonis’ statement as well.

“After their bankruptcy and closure of every store, like most Americans, we thought Bed, Bath & Beyond no longer existed,” the press office’s X account posted, before referencing the chain’s effort to expand after its first newly opened store started doing business earlier this month in Nashville, according to FOX Business.

“We wish them well in their efforts to become relevant again as they try to open a 2nd store.”