Popular Home Decor Store May Be Headed for Bankruptcy—Will All 260 Locations Close?

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With tariffs at an all-time high, shoppers are being forced to reevaluate their spending habits. Meanwhile, many businesses—both mom-and-pop shops and big-box chains alike—are gearing up for what could be a very quiet summer shopping season. Retailers are putting up a strong fight, but not all will be able to protect themselves from President Trump’s imposed tariffs. According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal , At Home Group is the latest chain to circle the bankruptcy drain. The home-furnishings superstore, which is headquartered in Texas, operates 266 locations in 40 states.

RELATED: 54 New Big Lots Stores Will Open Next Month—Here’s Where .

As its name suggests, At Home sells home decor, housewares, furniture, rugs, wall art, holiday/seasonal decor, and outdoor furniture. Warehouses are typically 100,000 square feet (or about the size of two football fields) and hold about 50,000 products. The chain also works with a private label sector and celebrity-owned brands, including HGTV’s Ty Pennington . In other words: If you have an empty house to furnish, At Home is the place to shop.

At Home procures most of its merchandise from other countries, most notably China, whose imported goods were recently hit with a 145 percent tariff under the guise of the Trump administration. Like its peers, At Home is also facing 25 percent tariffs on some Canadian and Mexican products, on top of the president’s newly imposed 10 percent universal tariff.

The tariff mandates are still in motion and could continue to rise. But despite their “explosive” repercussions, Trump has since doubled down on his actions. At a recent Republican dinner party, he told his cohorts that “it’s our turn to do the ripping” after other countries have “ripped us off left and right,” per the BBC .

At Home isn’t the only retailer feeling the heat. Businesses across the nation are reeling from the hiked tariffs. Speaking with The New York Times , store owner Joanne Kwong said, “My business cannot survive” unless the tariffs come down.

“You feel a little bit like the sacrificial lamb,” Kwong remarked.

Her NYC-based houseware store, Pearl River Mart, sources 65 percent of its inventory from China. She also noted that customer purchases are usually deemed discretionary, meaning her business will be among the first to suffer at the hands of hyperinflation.

“One hundred percent of our goods are nice-to-have goods, not need-to-have goods,” said Kwong. “You’re going to need to pay the rent and feed the kids before shopping with us.”

BMO Capital Markets senior analyst Simeon Siegel shared that sentiment. “Raising prices is hard enough in a good environment,” let alone one plagued with inflation, impeding tariffs, and tight purse strings, he told the NYT .

“Where do people close their wallets first? Fixing a house can become a very discretionary purchase,” he reasoned.

RELATED: Experts Say Walmart Might Be Tariff-Proof—Here’s Why .

As for the future of At Home Group, a bankruptcy filing could be in order if the company fails to resolve its debt obligations. At Home is in talks with investment bank PJT Partners and operational adviser AlixParters LLP to reach a solution, reports Bloomberg Law .

It’s unclear if or when At Home store locations may begin to shutter. The retailer has yet to publicly address the bankruptcy rumors.

54 New Big Lots Stores Will Open Next Month—Here’s Where

54 New Big Lots Stores Will Open Next Month—Here's Where - 2

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Big Lots is making a comeback—with the help of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., which acquired 219 locations with the intention of remodeling and reopening them under the Big Lots marquee. On April 10, the discount retailer kicked off its strategic reopening tour, which included nine stores in six states. Now, Big Lots is gearing up for its second wave of openings. This phase will consist of 54 new locations across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and South. Here’s everything you need to know.

RELATED: 11 Things Home Depot Shoppers Can Get for Free .

The 54 remodeled Big Lots stores will have new merchandise categories.

The reimagined Big Lots stores will offer a “treasure hunt” shopping experience, says the press release . Shoppers can expect to score “great deals and unique finds” across the chain’s legacy categories like home decor, health, beauty, toys, and seasonal merchandise. Furthermore, Big Lots is expanding its inventory to include electronics and apparel for the entire family. Along with these new departments, the retailer will also have a new “closeout deals” section, where certain items will presumably be heavily marked down.

10 new Big Lots stores will open in the Midwest.

The second wave of openings will involve 10 locations scattered throughout the Midwest, including in parts of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. According to Fast Company , those set to open on May 1 are:

Michigan

  • Burton : 4157 E. Court Street
  • Flint : 5112 Miller Rd
  • Shelby Township : 7651 23 Mile Rd

Ohio

  • Warren : 4331 Mahoning Ave NW
  • Boardman : 7100 South Ave
  • Alliance : 1965 W State St
  • Wintersville : 498 Cadiz Rd
  • Bridgeport : 56104 National Rd
  • Reynoldsburg : 6300 E Livingston Ave

Indiana

  • Jasper : 195 S US Hwy 231

25 new Big Lots locations will open across the Mid-Atlantic.

Pennsylvania

  • Archbald : 866 Scranton Carbondale Hwy
  • Dunmore : 1010 O’Neill Hwy
  • Lewisburg : 7405 Westbranch Hwy

West Virginia

  • Fairmont : 1228 Country Club Rd
  • Bridgeport : 104 Thompson Dr
  • Elkins : 710 Beverly Pike
  • Charleston : 118 Hills Plz
  • Martinsburg : 110 Eagle School Rd
  • Charleston : 7200 Mccorkle Ave SE

Virginia

  • Winchester : 1090 Millwood Pike
  • Waynesboro : 2715 W Main St
  • Chesapeake : 4300 Portsmouth Blvd
  • Martinsville : 2646 Greensboro Rd

North Carolina

  • Elkin : 1504 N Bridge St
  • Wilkesboro : 1826 W US Hwy 421 Ste K
  • Hickory : 526c US Highway 70 SW
  • Gastonia : 2587 W Franklin Blvd
  • Mount Airy : 1328 Carter St
  • Mocksville : 1063 Yadkinville Rd
  • Clemmons : 100 Westwood Village Dr
  • Forest : 12295 Capital Blvd
  • Roanoke Rapids : 1110 Julian R Allsbrook Hwy
  • Rocky Mount : 955 N Wesleyan Blvd
  • Southport : 4956 Long Beach Rd SE Ste 8
  • Kinston : 2407 N Herritage St Ste E

In the South, 19 new Big Lots are set to open in May.

Alabama

  • Mobile : 5363 Hwy 90 W Ste C
  • Athens : 603 US Hwy 72 W
  • Decatur : 1820 6th Ave SE

South Carolina

  • Rock Hill : 2349 Cherry Rd Ste 79
  • Spartanburg : 1000 N Pine St
  • Simpsonville : 915 S St Ste A
  • Easley : 1023A S Pendleton St

Georgia

  • Fort Oglethorpe : 558 Battlefield Pkwy
  • Cornelia : 323 Habersham Village Cir
  • Valdosta : 110 E Northside Dr
  • Augusta : 2708 Peach Orchard Rd

Tennessee

  • Murfreesboro : 1262 NW Broad St
  • Knoxville : 4825 N Broadway St
  • Rogersville : 420 Park Blvd
  • Cleveland : 840 25th St NW

Kentucky

  • Elizabethtown : 200 Sycamore St Ste 151
  • Richmond : 472 Eastern Byp
  • Danville : 1714 Perryville Rd Ste 400
  • Glasgow : 942 Happy Valley Rd

Big Lots plans to open 156 more stores by summer 2025.

“We’re opening stores quickly so we can serve the community. We know the stores won’t be perfect to start, but each week we’ll add more new products as we build towards the grand opening celebration in the fall. Every time a customer visits Big Lots! we want them to find something new and exciting!” said Lisa Seigie s, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers, in the release.