Bombay Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Brad Harper |
| Defunct | 2008 (physical stores) |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
Key people | William S. Hollands (chief merchant, 2009) |
| Products | Furniture and home accessories |
| Owner | Undisclosed limited liability company (since 2021) |
The Bombay Company is a U.S.-based retailer of furniture and home accessories, currently owned (since 2021) by an undisclosed limited liability company. Once operating over 500 locations with its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, Bombay Company transitioned to an online-only presence in 2012. Following the establishment of a new licensing agreement, a second digital relaunch was announced for the High Point Market event in April 2018. However, as of March 2019, the website’s e-commerce functionality remained inactive.
History
Founded in 1978 by Brad Harper in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Bombay Company initially operated as a mail-order business, with Canadian operations managed by Harper’s close associate Greg McGroarty. Harper subsequently opened two physical stores in New Orleans. In 1980, he sold the U.S. operational rights and set up international supply channels with Tandy Brands, Inc., a publicly traded holding company based in Fort Worth, Texas.
In 1981, Tandy Brands acquired Canadian rights from Robert Nourse, who continued overseeing Canadian operations until relocating to the United States in 1983 to lead retail activities.
On September 20, 2007, Bombay Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company was subsequently acquired by liquidation firms Gordon Brothers and Hilco, who proceeded to sell off existing inventory. By January 21, 2008, all U.S. retail locations had been closed and liquidated. In February 2008, Hilco and Gordon Brothers purchased all intellectual property associated with Bombay Company, including its website, forming Bombay Brands to distribute merchandise through other retail channels. Select original Bombay products became available at Value City Furniture and, starting September 2010, a limited collection was offered via QVC and QVC.COM in the United States.
The Canadian segment of Bombay was acquired by B&C Group, operators of Benix and Bowring retail chains within Canada. Currently, Bombay Canada is owned by Fluid Brands Inc., led by Toronto-based retail entrepreneur Fred Benitah, who also owns Bowring Brothers, a Canadian home decor chain.
In December 2009, William S. Hollands was appointed chief merchant for the Bombay Company unit managing U.S. licensing agreements with Bombay Brands LLC during its brand revival efforts in America.
Hermes-Otto International, a subsidiary of Otto, purchased Bombay in 2011. The brand’s U.S. division relaunched as an online retailer in 2012.
By November 2018, the Canadian operations of Bombay & Co., under Fluid Brands Inc., sought creditor protection while carrying over $50 million in liabilities.
In 2021, ownership of the Bombay Company transferred to an undisclosed party.
As of 2024, the Bombay brand remains publicly recognized and is registered under GHP Group, LLC—a New York-based company located at 347 5th Avenue. Distribution is handled by Senior Brands LLC at the same address. Bombay products continue to be found at discount retailers like Lidl or through platforms such as eBay.
References
External links
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Official website not in Wikidata
- Defunct retail businesses in the United States
- United States furniture retailers
- American firms founded in 1978
- Retailers established in 1978
- Retailers that ceased operations in 2008
- Canadian bankruptcy filers
- Companies that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2007
- Businesses headquartered in New Orleans
- Companies located in Fort Worth, Texas
- Defunct retail companies of the United States