On May 29, 2025, it was reported, At Home Group Inc., a home decor retailer headquartered in Texas, is reportedly preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the coming weeks as it works to strengthen its liquidity. On May 15, At Home missed its interest payment, and on May 23, it entered a forbearance agreement with its lenders. That agreement which temporarily suspends payments runs through June 30, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. At Home Group Inc., owned by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, has faced a shortage of cash in recent months, exacerbated by the effects of U.S. tariffs and the global trade war, Bloomberg News reported. (Business Wire / Fox News) "At Home is actively collaborating with our financial stakeholders and have put forbearance agreements in place with respect to certain interest payments under the company's debt instruments," a spokesperson for At Home Group Inc. told Bloomberg. "These agreements provide us flexibility as we continue to take steps to position At Home for near and long-term success." The company, which has more than 250 stores across 40 states, currently has $17.3 million available under its asset-based facility, according to some of the people with knowledge of the matter. Earlier this month, At Home Group Inc. announced it had appointed Brad Weston as its new CEO, effective June 3. Weston most recently served as CEO of Party City Holdings Inc., according to an announcement from the company. Earlier this month, At Home Group Inc. announced it had appointed Brad Weston as its new CEO, effective June 3. Weston most recently served as CEO of Party City Holdings Inc.
On May 28, 2025, it was reported, Expanding its reach in the category, Williams-Sonoma has acquired the intellectual property of college decor company Dormify, according to a company press release Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Williams-Sonoma (which operates banners including its namesake brand, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Rejuvenation and more) will relaunch Dormify in 2026. The current Dormify website notes it is working on a new assortment and directs customers to the Pottery Barn Dorm e-commerce site. Williams-Sonoma is eyeing college-aged consumers to help further grow its customer base. It is an attempt to capture the void left by Bed Bath &beyond. In 2015, Dormify partnered with Macy's on an exclusive bedding line. Additionally, American Eagle Outfitters previously worked with Dormify in a multiyear partnership featuring back-to-school products, and in 2018, led a $3.5 million Series A investment round in the company. Office Depot in June last year announced it would sell an assortment of Dormify products for the school season, both online and in about 200 of its stores. For Williams-Sonoma, the acquisition follows the release of first-quarter earnings results last week. The home retailer saw net revenues increase about 4.2% year over year to $1.73 billion. The company's gross profit decreased 3.7% and net earnings declined about 11%. Alber at the time remained upbeat on the retailer's existing 2025 guidance despite tariff volatility. The company expects net revenues for the fiscal year to be in the range of a 1.5% decline to 1.5% growth.
On May 28, 2025, it was reported, Hudson's Bay in recent weeks has managed to sell its intellectual property to retailer Canadian Tire, which also bid on several of its leases, for $21 million. Then about two dozen store leases went to a commercial real estate developer for an undisclosed amount. But as it shutters its entire fleet, more than 9,000 of its employees will be out of work by June 15, according to court documents. The iconic Canadian department store, which also ran Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th in the country, filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy in March. At that point Hudson's Bay employed about 9,364 people across 96 stores, four distribution centers and its headquarters, with seven employees living in the U.S. After June 15, the department store company will continue to employ a few people to help with the wind-down of its business, including about 50 retail employees, 58 corporate employees and 10 distribution center employees, per the filing. The process of trying to sell its business and its leases made it clear "that no going concern sale opportunity is available, and as a result, it was necessary for the Company to make the difficult decision to significantly reduce employee headcounts to align with the winddown of the Liquidation Sale and rolling closure of store locations and required employee positions," the company told the court Monday. Hudson's Bay Co. said it would liquidate almost immediately after its bankruptcy filing, even eventually giving up on six namesake stores plus a Saks Fifth Avenue store that had been previously excluded from those plans,
On May 28, 2025, it was reported, Dallas Market Center will expand its Nearshoring America initiative in January 2026 with two trade expos aimed at strengthening regional supply chains and connecting U.S. buyers with manufacturers across Latin America. The events are scheduled to coincide with two major Dallas trade shows: the Total Home & Gift Market and Lightovation. The Nearshoring America Expo for home and gift will take place Jan. 7-9, 2026, while the lighting-focused edition will follow Jan. 10-11, 2026. Both expos are designed to support sourcing across the Americas, as businesses continue seeking alternatives to global supply chains that have grown increasingly unpredictable due to geopolitical and logistical challenges. The home and gift expo will be held on the 13th floor of the World Trade Center and features manufacturers specializing in home dcor, textiles, seasonal items, tableware, gifts and outdoor living products. The lighting expo, set on the fourth floor of the Trade Mart during Lightovation, will highlight manufacturers and partners focused on residential and commercial lighting. Exhibitors include makers of lighting fixtures, smart systems, ceiling fans, and custom components. The expos will welcome export-ready manufacturers, sourcing agencies, white-label suppliers and trade organizations. A Nearshoring America Expo focused on apparel and accessories is also in development. Nearshoring America is a year-round sourcing initiative created by Dallas Market Center to connect buyers with trusted regional partners. The program includes trade shows, networking events and educational content to help businesses adapt to supply chain challenges with near-market solutions.
