I’ve written before about how much I love Bed, Bath & Beyond. How it represents new beginnings — new apartments, new homes, new marriages, etc., etc. At the risk of sounding really cheesy, it’s a store for happy occasions and good vibes.

A few weeks ago, we heard that the New Jersey-based business would be closing some stores. At the time, they announced a massive shuttering of up to 200 stores nationwide and named the two in New Jersey that would be closed, Howell and Rockaway.

However, according to an article on Ocean County Scanner, a third location, this one in Toms River, is also about to be closed. The article also makes the observation that since the Brick store, which isn’t that far away, has recently been spruced-up is probably going to be that location that takes over for the loss of Toms River.

There’s a lot of history behind the Toms River Bed, Bath & Beyond. Interestingly, the article discusses the history of the building that store occupies. Apparently, according to the article, it was originally a Best Products store. (I had forgotten completely about Best and its catalog filled with pretty much every consumer item known to man until I read this piece.)

The store that replaced Best was Linens 'n Things, a fierce competitor of Bed, Bath & Beyond. Ironically LNT closed in 2008, and BB&B moved in to take its place. While the two stores carried similar home necessities, Bed, Bath and Beyond far surpassed its nemesis in terms of quantity, quality, and customer service, in my opinion. Finally, Linens ‘n Things lost the home goods retail race and closed up shop.

Like many retailers before it, and certainly many more to come, Bed, Bath and Beyond just couldn’t endure the online competition, even with its ubiquitous blue 20% off coupons. Then, the pandemic and its associated shut-down was the final straw. The Toms River Bed, Bath and Beyond on Hooper Avenue was a mainstay in the Toms River shopping corridor for a long time. And, like its sister stores in Howell and Rockaway, it will be missed.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.

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