Operations Ongoing—For Now
The company assured customers and employees that all 260 stores in 40 states will remain open during proceedings. More than 7,000 employees work across the company’s retail, corporate, and distribution operations.
Founded in 1979 as Garden Ridge Pottery, At Home is no stranger to bankruptcy court. It first filed in 2004, then emerged and rebranded. It later went public in 2016 before being taken private in 2021 by Hellman & Friedman—just as the COVID-fueled home décor boom reached its peak.
A Fall From Pandemic-Driven Grace
Aguilar’s filings detail a dramatic descent. While the pandemic era supercharged sales, post-COVID inflation, freight spikes, and tariff risks crippled margins. In some cases, shipping costs eclipsed the value of the goods themselves.
Despite raising $200 million in 2023 and slashing costs through executive reshuffles and loan negotiations, the company couldn’t outpace the compounding economic drag.
The restructuring agreement was nearly in place by March, but incoming protectionist policies—largely stemming from Trump-era tariff echoes—pushed the firm over the edge.
