The Brian Beers Show — Episode #295

Title: The Bed Bath & Beyond Return is Looking Very Weird
Host: Brian Beers
Date: November 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brian Beers dives into Bed Bath & Beyond’s surprising comeback after its 2023 bankruptcy. Rather than rebuilding traditional corporate-owned stores, the brand — now owned by Overstock.com and featuring Marcus Lemonis (known for “The Profit”) — is adopting an ambitious new strategy: franchising. Brian unpacks what this means for potential franchisees, the challenges ahead, and why this return might actually work — or fail.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Quick History of Bed Bath & Beyond’s Rise and Fall

• Once a retail behemoth: At its peak, 1,500 locations and $12 billion in annual revenue.
• Rapid decline:
  • Crushed by e-commerce dominance (Amazon’s price and convenience)
  • Outperformed by Target & Walmart’s merchandising/private label strategies
  • Internal missteps: overloaded inventory, poor online presence, heavy debt (often used just to buy back shares)
  • Result: Bankruptcy and total store closures in 2023.
• Overstock.com’s acquisition: Bought the brand’s name and trademark for $21 million, then rebranded itself as Bed Bath & Beyond.

2. The New Franchise-Based Business Model

• Franchising vs. Corporate Ownership:

  • “Instead of corporate stores, which cost a ton of money and time and risk, we are going to do this the other way, which is through franchising. And honestly, it’s a bold shift.” — Brian (02:30)
  • Allows rapid expansion using franchisee capital and effort
  • Franchisees gain access to national branding, systems, tech, and suppliers — resources that would take years to build solo

• Host’s personal franchise experience: Brian runs 35 Midas repair shops; emphasizes how “franchisees care way more than any corporate employee” (06:05) because their own money and reputation are at stake.

3. Major Differences from the Original Bed Bath & Beyond

• Smaller, leaner stores:

  • Old stores: 20,000–30,000 sq. ft., huge overhead
  • New model: 7,000–10,000 sq. ft.; lower costs and easier to staff/operate

• Inventory management:

  • This is an “inventory business” — success for franchisees depends on inventory turnover
  • Using new tech and AI forecasting for smarter purchasing and stock management

• Local flair encouraged:

  • Franchisees can select locally relevant inventory for up to 20% of store stock
  • Echoes the Ace Hardware model: national systems fused with community-driven assortments

4. Competing in the E-Commerce Era

• No competing with Amazon on price:
  • Instead, focus on in-store experience, community, and immediate service.
• Seamless in-store/online experience:
  • Strong emphasis on making online and in-store purchasing/exchanges as smooth as possible
  • “Franchisees are going to share in the revenue of Bedbathandbeyond.com for sales that happen, you know, within a certain mile radius of their store.” (16:00)
  • This aligns the interests of physical store owners with e-commerce sales — no internal competition.

5. Overstock.com, Marcus Lemonis, and the Rebuild Plan

• New leadership and fresh approach:
  • Important note: same brand, new people (“This is Overstock.com with Marcus Lemonis… all the poor decisions that were made by the previous company are different people.” — 19:30)
• Phased rollout:
  • Over the next several months, Overstock will convert its legacy “Kirkland stores” to Bed Bath & Beyond-branded stores.
  • These will be run as corporate/beta stores first, iron out issues, and then be sold to franchisees as proven, profitable models.
  • “They’re not going to franchise a broken model…they’re going to get this thing down first and…not in a rush here.” (21:10)

6. Franchise Opportunity: Potential and Pitfalls

• Positive outlook if executed well:
  • Franchising democratizes business ownership (“…now this great brand, instead of being owned by a single person or controlled by a small group…is now in the hands of individuals throughout the communities.” — 24:20)
  • Potential for life-changing success as multiple locations open, if the system works.
• Open questions:
  • Critical to monitor: Will the new systems actually allow owners to be profitable? What do margins/start-up costs look like? How will slow-moving inventory be managed?
  • Brian promises to break down the nitty-gritty when the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is released.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Instead of corporate stores, which cost a ton of money and time and risk, we are going to do this the other way, which is through franchising. And honestly, it’s a bold shift.”
— Brian (02:30)

“Franchisees care way more than any corporate employee…when my neighbors and friends, the people I know, go to a Midas and they know I own it, there’s more, way more pressure on me.”
— Brian (06:05)

“They’re talking about using AI forecasting and a lot of new technology that they didn’t even have years ago to make much better decisions for franchisees…”
— Brian (12:00)

“Franchisees are going to share in the revenue of Bedbathandbeyond.com for sales that happen…within a certain mile radius of their store.”
— Brian (16:00)

“This is not the old Bed Bath and Beyond. This is Overstock.com with Marcus Lemonis…all the poor decisions that were made by the previous company are different people. This is a brand new ball game.”
— Brian (19:30)

“They’re not going to franchise a broken model…I believe they’re going about this the right way because they know that to be successful in the long term in franchising, your franchisees have to be profitable.”
— Brian (21:10)

“If they can prove this out…this thing is going to go and sell like wildfire. People are going to want to get on board…”
— Brian (25:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–04:30: History and decline of Bed Bath & Beyond
• 04:30–09:30: Introduction of Marcus Lemonis and new franchise strategy
• 09:30–13:00: Comparison: Old vs. New store models; role of the franchisee
• 13:00–16:30: Inventory challenges and technology for smarter management
• 16:30–19:00: Competing with Amazon; integrating online and in-store sales
• 19:00–22:30: Rebranding plan; converting existing stores; timeline
• 22:30–27:00: Franchisee profitability and long-term vision
• 27:00–End: Host’s final thoughts; anticipation of FDD details and future episodes

Tone and Style

Brian maintains a practical, enthusiastic, and straightforward tone throughout — mixing personal anecdotes (especially as an experienced franchisee himself) with honest questions and skepticism. He frequently refers to the realities of entrepreneurship: the importance of profitability, common pitfalls, and the excitement of proven business models.

Summary

This episode offers an inside look at the new chapter for Bed Bath & Beyond — a franchise experiment led by Overstock.com and Marcus Lemonis. While there’s excitement about democratizing business ownership and leveraging national branding, Brian highlights that the model’s success depends on fixing the inventory problem, integrating e-commerce profitably, and delivering a real neighborhood-store experience. The approach is methodical, starting with rebranded existing stores as a test bed before opening franchising more broadly. For any would-be franchisees, Brian promises deeper dives as new details emerge.

If you’re interested in the evolving world of franchising — or pondering if Bed Bath & Beyond’s comeback is worth investing in — this episode is a must-listen for its candid analysis and actionable insights.