I saw it on the news last night and I couldn't believe it!

Laurie

Whoa.

Here's a news link that tells more...

Here is a link that might be useful: bombay

:-O ! Wow.

I am sorry to hear that, for the sake of the employees. There is one nearby that hasn't been open a long time, and now will leave another store vacancy. I have never been a huge fan of theirs, not crazy about their wood colors, etc. but still hate to see any retailer go under like that.

I bought a couple of small pieces from them for my children's rooms back in the 80s. I truly did not like the quality of their furniture but I am sorry to hear they are closing.

I still have a Bombay Butler's tray on stand and it has held up. The other couple of pieces we had did not. However, I would mind taking a look. Is there an online website?

Yes we are going out of business.

The liquidator has given me a repeated time frame of 14-15 wks to be done. No biggie for me since I am only a PT Key Holder & had plans to go back to a Dr.s office 2 days a wk. in Jan. after my MIL retires at the end of the yr.

I have to laugh at the sales now: 20% off. What a joke - we regularly had 40% off sales all of the time but NOW everyone wants to buy stuff?! Oh well.

I spent 8 hrs. marking stuff down in 1 of my stores last night & barely made a dent in it. I have to go to another store tonight.

The rep for the liquidator for my region is trying to talk me into working FT so that I can collect up to a total of 6 bonuses (3 for each store I currently work at). He's not hearing me when I tell him "NO!" I quit my FT job to be home more w/ my children - especially during the holiday's! He doesn't seem to get that money isn't my driving force no matter how many offers & deals he tries to make w/ me. Maybe he doesn't get that I planned on staying to the end anyways.

they told me that Bombay CA will soon follow suit & that Pier 1 isn't far behind.

Like it or not it was a good 7 yrs. for me & they always cooperated w/ my schedule when I was working elsewhere FT & then when I asked for more PT hrs. so I could quit my other job they promoted me to mgmt., gave me a $1+ per hr. raise AND totally worked around my family schedule. Can't say I'll find that elsewhere.

I'm imagining it to be a madhouse at the store I'm working at tonight.

NO, not Pier 1 too!!!!! Say it isn't so (sob, whine, moan) I love that store.

^^^ditto what ggschmerl said^^^

But with even more !!!!!!!!!!!!!s

:-(

That stinks. I wasn't aware that Bombay employs so many Fort Worth folks, and I'm really sorry that they'll be losing their jobs.

But ... why Pier 1? Are they in bankruptcy as well?

Pier One??? I love that store, NOOOO!!!

And I have bought some beautiful accessories and mirrors at Bombay, although not lately.

Pier 1 used to be an advertising customer of mine and it would not surprise me at all. They've had a number of issues over the last few years and can't ever quite seem to get it right, business-wise. Retailers can be popular with customers but have "suits" making lousy decisions in the corporate office.

To tell you the truth it doesn't surprise me. I love the looks of many of their items, but their quality and prices don't jive. I've often wondered if they are the same Bombay that was round in the Seventies that was an import store closer to Pier 1 yet aimed more to the hippy type crowd? Does anyone know? ttodd? They were in malls and sold lots of shells, wicker, oriental fans and decor.
As for Pier 1 I just noticed last week their website is catalogs only now. That really bumbed me since I often shop online using their store availability service. We have three in our area and that saved me time running all over the city. Their prices are a bit high in my opinion, but then I'm cheap :P. I do feel their quality is much better than what I've seen at Bombay though, so I don't mind purchasing something I really want. I certainly hope they don't go out of business! Them I'd miss big time!

Check out Pier 1's Fort Worth headquarters that they built themselves just a couple of short years ago. Do you suppose they too have fallen victim to the "I Can Afford This!" train of thought, and then the economy bitt 'em in the corporate butt?

Here is a link that might be useful: Nice, no?

I was surprised to read this too so I hi-tailed it over to my local store to see what kind of deals I could find. I've always loved their accessories. We have two mirrors from them and a console table and it's held up well.

I was disappointed to see their "liquidation" sale was just 20% off. Sigh!

Pier one has gone way down hill in my opinion. I used to love their stuff but haven't found anything in there lately.

Retailing is tough; I look at the prime spaces they have to rent and wonder how they make it.

I have a small art gallery and I know how much operating expenses mount.
Still sad, Bombay and Pier One are stores I expect to see....

I wonder if the Crate and Barrels and Pottery Barns have captured the public's heart, for now anyway.

I suppose that business would be off with new home sales down and foreclosures up, so I wouldn't be surprised to see more home decorating/furniture chains closing stores.

PaulaCat,
You hit the nail on the head! It's the suits - they could just never seem to get it together!

I don't want to start rumors about Pier 1 but that's what the Liquidator told me - that they are in the same boat as Bombay was trying to salvage things.

Justgot2beme,
I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same Bombay Co. that you are thinking of. We've been around for quite awhile.

Mitchdesj,
I typically follow the financial section of retail home stores & from what I understand through other's prev. employed by PB & their financials, they are one of the only retailers that's up. And in a really decent way too. They've also recently gone back to their 'old PB' type of style. I'm contemplating applying there after Bombay closes.

I don't know about Crate & Barrels financials.

RH financials were down & I believe they got rid of their CEO or somebody as they were very disapointed. He's now at Sundance.

Lindybarts,
Bombay isn't setting the sales now - it's all the liquidator. 20%? I had to laugh!

What is the "old PB" style? I do like the offerings this year more than ever.

I wonder if the Crate and Barrels and Pottery Barns have captured the public's heart, for now anyway.

Yeah, PB & C&B are doing OK but I don't see that they have taken Bombay's business much. I think it's that places like Ross, Marshall's, Home Goods, etc. have captured the buyer.

Everyone likes treasure hunting, and they play to that.

Susan ~

What type of suits are they succumbing to?

Well this is sad to read, but not surprising I think with the current economy and so many people buying cheap imports from China including through ebay and other internet etailers. I bet too that Target has taken a bit out as well as PB and C&B. It is a different marketplace now than it was pre-internet and unfortunately he who snoozes, losses.

I seem to remember that Bombay first started as a mail order company with flat pack furniture that you put together yourself - and I remember wanting one of their butler tables, but didn't have the disposable income at the time. Newbuilder I'm happy to hear that you are still enjoying yours.

Sky

OMG. I can't believe it! I am so sad to hear this. Yes, it is a sad day for the decorating world. I am really going to miss their accessories as well as the wonderful hand-blown ornaments they carry at Christmas. I've been collecting them for a number of years now. :(

Regarding Pier One, I like the old Pier One so much better than the new version, so if they do close, I will not be too upset.

I hate it when the suits ruin things.
I used to love a plus size Casual Corner woman's store when all of a sudden I couldn't find anything I liked! I mean I went from buying a lot a the store to nothing. I kept imagining - some idiot man hired his daughter/mistress/niece/trophy wife to do the buying. LOL. Within a year they were closing all the stores.

Ah, yes. I even remember the Akron, a time when everybody young decorated in "early Akron". It was a sad day for me when that chain went out of business in the mid-1970's. It seems all good things come to an end.

Goodness, businesses fail all the time when they do not meet customer demands. If we want quality, we have to pay for it. If we want just trendy, we can get it, but like the stores that sell it, the items will not last.

I'm sitting at my Bombay cherry desk reading this thread. It is 5 years old and still beautiful, although the only piece ever bought from them. The outlet mall had a decent size store with outstanding prices more than half off original. It went away about a year ago.

This thread could be a history walk of furniture and clothing stores once part of our lives. Great stores I'd still be shopping at. Dating myself...does anyone remember the incredible sales "Orbachs" (sp?) in CA used to have? I'll never forget going to those with my mom.

It wouldn't surprise me about Pier I, they haven't seemed to change much and 2 stores in our area have closed. Big Lots acquired tons of their furniture about 6 mos ago. Thought that was weird as prices were the same and BL had no clue how to showroom the furniture.

World Market would be another I'd wonder about. Times change, but always wonder the reasoning behind offerings which tend to leave me going on to other stores. And I'm not seeing new ones show up in their place. A lot of merging/buy outs, but nothing new that grabs me.

Well, here in California, World Market's wine dept. is the best seller.

No I hadn't heard, I'll have to send out an email to tell my friends so thanks for the heads up. I didn't go for Bombay's cherry colored wood, that Queen Anne look doesn't fit in with my french country decor BUT I always enjoyed browsing in the store. It's been many, many years since I bought anything from that store yet I always walked in for a looksee whenever I was at the mall. I'm kinda surprised actually, I had no idea they were having financial problems. The store always seemed to be packed with customers. I guess more were like me than I realized, looking and not buying. Gosh, so many stores that have been in business for decades are disappearing. This can't be good.

Drat. The Bombay in our local maul was so tiny as to have pretty much only accessories and a few accent tables crammed around a double bed and a couple of chairs (I think many of you have bigger bedrooms than that store), but there were some things on the website that I really, really liked and would have bought had I had the ready cash. Too late now I guess. :-(

(Local maul) ... hahahaha! Good pun there, Mari!