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For many retail brands, Chapter 11 is not always the end of the story. Just consider the sequel being crafted by home furnishings retailer Bombay Company, which was founded in 1978 as a mail-order operation and grew to a national presence with 461 stores before filing for bankruptcy in late 2007 and closing all its U.S. locations.
Wil Hollands, who served as VP merchandising for the former Bombay Company, is now president of Hermes-Otto International USA, the U.S. division of the global lifestyle and fashion company Otto Group. Its holdings include Bombay Company. Hollands talked with Chain Store Age contributing editor Connie Gentry about the return of the brand and the launch of its e-commerce site.
After Bombay Company shuttered its stores in 2008, what happened to the brand?
Bombay was, and still is, a vibrant, popular brand. When the stores closed, retailers began bidding for the brand, but the IP rights were purchased by Hilco Consumer Capital and Gordon Brothers Group.
After that, Hermes-Otto International, which also owns Crate & Barrel, acquired the master license for Bombay Company. Hermes-Otto was looking for another home furnishings brand in the U.S., and Bombay was a highly recognized brand with positive association.
I joined the company in October 2009, and convinced our board to buy the brand outright. For me, the Bombay brand is a personal commitment - it...