Not exactly Bedlam, Bath & Beyond: A few die-hards hit Santa Rosa store looking for deals in its last days

Inside, the shelves and displays that were once stocked deep with kitchen utensils, closet organizers and bath towels were bare.

Only a few random products remained scattered on shelves: glassware for 80 cents; mattresses from bedding displays for $5; boxed hair dye 90% off near the cash registers.

Outside, a crowd of about 30 people waited for the last remaining Bed Bath & Beyond in Santa Rosa to open Friday, hoping to score a deal before the store closes for good this weekend.

In its heyday, the store opened at 10 a.m., but on Friday it didn’t unlock its doors until 11.

The Press Democrat was not able to speak with customers or employees inside the store, per the location’s district manager, but was able to catch up with a few customers who arrived before the store opened.

Santa Rosa resident Kathy Heglin has been shopping at the store since it opened. It has a little bit of everything, she said, and she isn’t ready to see it close for good.

“I’m sad because it’s one of my favorite stores,” Heglin said. “I think there’s a Tuesday Morning around and then there’s a Home Goods in Petaluma, but I don’t want to drive all that way to get the same kind of stuff I could’ve gotten here.”

The Bed Bath & Beyond was one of Santa Rosa resident Lola Sosa’s first jobs. She used to live nearby and would walk over to work after finishing her school day.

While she typically shops at Target and TJ Maxx for home and kitchen items, she wanted to check out any closing sales to see what she could find.

Rick and Rita Jimenez had a granddaughter who used to work at the location for years.

They said she made a lifelong friend with one of her co-workers, and though their granddaughter passed away a few years ago, her friend continues to come and see the Jimenez’s though she has since moved out of town.

Because the Jimenez’s live nearby, Bed Bath & Beyond was a neighborhood store for them and one they will greatly miss.

“We think it’s too bad,” Rita said.

“I remember when Bed Bath & Beyond was in its glory days,” Rick said. “It was such an awesome store.”

Not so much anymore.

The back half of the store has been closed off for employees only, appearing to be cleared out aside from a handful of fixtures and furniture.

As customers streamed in on the lookout for a good deal, they found slim pickings, but just in case they needed help with the math, next to 80% off sale signs were pieces of paper listing original prices and the new price with the discount applied.

There were still large amounts of some items, such as bed sheets and blankets. But big name appliances such as standing mixers, air-fryers, irons and hair-dryers have all been sold out.

Bed Bath & Beyond is officially closing all of its remaining locations, including buybuyBABY, on July 30 after filing for bankruptcy back in April. Throughout the summer, locations across the country have officially shut down with Sunday being the final wave of closings.

An email statement made to The Press Democrat Thursday evening said closing sales will continue in all stores until Sunday, but store employees at Santa Rosa’s location said the last day is actually Saturday.

“We encourage customers to shop with us while inventory remains and appreciate their long-standing support and trust in us through their most important life moments for more than 50 years,” the statement said.

“Store closing” signs have been seen outside the final Santa Rosa location since earlier this summer, with Sonoma County residents flocking to the shelves to snag any deals. Here’s what shoppers and deal seekers should know:

Where is the Bed Bath & Beyond?

The last Bed Bath & Beyond in Sonoma County is located at 2785 Santa Rosa Avenue next to Michael’s arts and craft store. There’s also a Petco, Ross Dress For Less and Smart & Final Extra! in the same shopping center.

What deals and sales are there right now?

Most items in the store are 80-90% off with certain marked items being 50% off or 70% off.

A sign posted on the front door of the store said cash, gift cards or rewards were no longer being accepted, something that went into place on July 24.

Another near the front said all items were final sale.

New store hours have also been posted on the front door. The location will be open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.