Bed Bath & Beyond announced that its comeback will not include locations in the largest state in the nation. Marcus Lemonis, Bed Bath & Beyond Executive Chairman said in a statement issued Aug. 20 that the company will not open a brick-and-mortar location in California.

Despite denying that his decision not to open physical Bed Bath & Beyond locations in California was for political reasons, Lemonis previously pursued political ambitions. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee with a degree in political science, and in 1996 ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced its comeback plans – the former retail giant filed for bankruptcy in 2023 – and they don’t include California. Just weeks after the home goods retailer opened its first new store in two years in Nashville, the company issued a special statement to report it wouldn’t open any stores in California.