There’s a troubling new metric for measuring the health of America’s business climate: which states thriving companies actively avoid. While entrepreneurs once flocked to every corner of our nation seeking opportunity, today’s business leaders are drawing lines on the map. And no, I’m not being dramatic here. They’re not looking at market potential anymore—they’re looking at regulatory survival. The latest casualty in this economic splitting apart reveals just how far some states have drifted from free enterprise principles.
When a major American retailer announces expansion plans after recovering from bankruptcy, it should be cause for celebration. Jobs return. Communities thrive. The American comeback story continues. But something unprecedented is happening in our supposedly united economy. Remember when businesses competed to enter new markets?
From The Post Millennial:
Beyond, Inc., the parent company of Bed Bath & Beyond, announced it will not open retail locations in California and will instead serve customers in the state exclusively through e-commerce…
“This decision isn’t about politics—it’s about reality,” Lemonis said. “California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America. It’s a system that makes it harder to employ people, harder to keep doors open, and harder to deliver value to customers.”
Bed Bath & Beyond, the household name that emerged from bankruptcy with $282 million in revenue and ambitious growth plans, has made a shocking declaration: they will not open a single store in California. Let that sink in for a moment.
Marcus Lemonis, the company’s executive chairman, didn’t mince words about the decision. I’ve seen a lot of corporate speak in my time, but this is different. His statement cuts through political spin to business reality: California has become too expensive, too regulated, and too risky for rational business investment.
When Success Isn’t Enough
The bitter irony shouldn’t be lost on anyone who believes in American free enterprise. Here’s a company that successfully navigated bankruptcy. They exceeded revenue forecasts. They positioned themselves for nationwide growth. They’ve proven their business model works. They’ve demonstrated financial discipline. They’ve shown they can compete and win in today’s retail environment.
Yet none of that success matters when facing California’s regulatory gauntlet. The company will serve California customers exclusively through e-commerce, offering 24-48 hour delivery rather than brick-and-mortar stores. Think about that compromise. They’ll ship products to your door but won’t dare open a store. It keeps products flowing while avoiding the state’s Byzantine business requirements—and eliminating countless retail jobs California families desperately need.
The Price of Progressive Policies
Lemonis emphasized that this “isn’t about politics—it’s about reality.” But let’s be honest here. What created this reality if not politics? These taxes and rules didn’t just appear. Politicians created them. Every fee, every regulation, every mandate represents a deliberate choice. They prioritized ideological goals over economic common sense.
The numbers tell the story. A company generating hundreds of millions in revenue, surpassing analyst expectations, still can’t make California’s math work. How bad does it have to get? If a thriving enterprise can’t justify the regulatory burden, what hope do small businesses have?
This isn’t an isolated incident. You have to wonder what California politicians are thinking. In-N-Out Burger’s president recently announced she’s moving her family to Tennessee. She cited California’s hostile business environment. The pattern is unmistakable: successful companies are either leaving or refusing to enter the Golden State entirely. Who exactly wins here?
The Forgotten Families
Behind every corporate decision are real families affected by these policy failures. Each Bed Bath & Beyond store represents dozens of jobs. Management positions. Sales floor workers. Stockroom teams. Customer service representatives. These aren’t just statistics. They’re mortgage payments. They’re college funds. They’re dinner tables.
California’s working families are being denied opportunities. Not because of market forces. Not because of corporate greed. But because their own state government has made hiring them too risky and expensive. The very policies supposedly designed to protect workers have instead eliminated their jobs entirely. Progressive politicians might think they’ve won. But won what exactly?
Key Takeaways
• Bed Bath & Beyond refuses to open California stores despite $282 million in revenue
• Even successful companies can’t justify California’s regulatory burden anymore
• Working families lose job opportunities while politicians celebrate “progressive” victories
• The American free market is fracturing along ideological state lines
Sources: NBC Bay Area, The Post Millennial
