Bed Bath & Beyond’s flagship reopening highlights owned brand strategy
Bed Bath & Beyond has reopened its flagship store in New York following an in-store overhaul, and the beautifully redesigned location puts its owned brand strategy on full display.
Photos from the opening ceremony of the 92,000-square-foot location at 620 6th Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood highlights its Haven bath line, Our Table kitchenware, and the Wild Sage youthful brand along with its College Happier campaign, as well as the other owned brands in the company’s new strategy.
The private brands received secondary merchandising units, graphics or built-out room sets, anchoring the department they live in.
Bed Bath & Beyond’s Joe Hartsig discussed some of this in-store strategy compared with how the brand’s will fuel the home goods store online during a Q&A with Store Brands.
The retailer is embarking on a transformational owned brand strategy, launching 10 new brands into the next fiscal year, each playing a massive role in Bed Bath & Beyond’s $250 million three-year project to remodel 450 stores.
Inside the Chelsea store reopening
Beyond the private label features in-store, notable redesigned features of the store include lower, open sightlines, an improved layout, and neatly arranged assortments of leading home products, including its store brands, along with in-store digital shopping tools through the Bed Bath & Beyond mobile app. The flagship also features unique customer experiences, including Casper’s first shop-in-shop, a SodaStream Bubble Bar, a new 3B Café, and experiential in-store trials which allow customers to try before they buy.
“We set out a bold strategic plan last October to become a digital first, omni-always retailer,” said Mark Tritton, president and CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond. “A key component of our plan is modernizing our stores to significantly elevate in-store shopping experiences while optimizing their role in our digital-first, omni-always approach to help customers unlock the magic in every room of their homes. Our Chelsea flagship has served the local community for decades. We’re proud to invest here and add to New York City’s ‘return to normal’ to serve residents and visitors alike.”
Bed Bath & Beyond has partnered with several leading brands to create unique experiences at its flagship location, including:
- Casper: The flagship features Casper’s first shop-in shop, creating an immersive in-store shopping experience of its suite of sleep offerings for Bed Bath & Beyond customers.
- SodaStream: Bed Bath & Beyond is proud to bring the SodaStream Bubble Bar to the flagship, which offers customers a fun and engaging opportunity to purchase and personalize SodaStream bottles. On-site mixologists provide customers with drink ideas and lessons, while demonstrating how to use the machine.
- More than 20 merchandising experiences that will bring to life the company’s owned brands and national brands, such as Dyson and Google nest products.
- Experiential in-store trials that will allow customers to try before they buy, including the only interactive vacuum display in New York City.
- Café 3B, a modern barista serving La Colombe coffee that adds to the flagship’s relaxing shopping environment.
Customers can use the Bed Bath & Beyond mobile app to navigate the store, view additional product information, and create registry lists. QR codes are prominently displayed throughout to create an endless aisles experience, too, offering additional colors, sizes and products.
The flagship also is rolling out a “scan and buy” feature that enables customers to immediately make purchases as they shop and go cashier-free. The flagship has a dedicated pick-up area for online orders, or customers can choose to have associates meet them outside for curbside pickup, all within one-hour of placing the order. The flagship is also part of a store network that is now able to fulfill same-day delivery orders throughout Manhattan
Bed Bath & Beyond introduced in May its first-ever comprehensive environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy that set several bold, strategic goals underpinning its commitment to people, community and the planet. The redesigned Chelsea flagship utilizes energy efficient measures to help reduce its overall carbon footprint. Upgrades include replacing fluorescent lights with LED lights, installing occupancy sensors and timers for lighting, and upgrades in energy-efficient HVAC and fans for temperature control.