The new owners of Buybuy Baby recently reopened 11 stores, betting that many expectant parents still prefer to shop for strollers, cribs and car seats in person, the Wall Street Journal reported. Those stores had been closed for roughly three months after former parent company Bed Bath & Beyond’s bankruptcy. The baby-products retailer plans to open more than 100 new U.S. stores over the next three years, the company said, and eventually expand internationally. That number would put the company’s store footprint on par with where it was before the chapter 11 filing. They are also working on smaller-footprint stores, which could number 200 additional locations. “Having our experts in the store assist, take the time to demonstrate products, give good recommendations and sound advice…the ability to provide that support online is limited,” said Chief Executive Pete Daleiden, who was an executive at Buybuy Baby from 2018 to 2021. He returned to the company in August to take the top job.
