Linens 'n Things
American home-goods retailer that evolved from a national store chain into an online brand after bankruptcy and later ownership changes.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Linens 'n Things was an American home-goods retailer focused on household textiles, housewares, and decorative accessories. Its merchandise historically centered on bedding, bath products, window treatments, kitchen goods, storage, tabletop items, and other furnishings sold through a combination of national superstores, catalogs or promotional channels, and later e-commerce. The business was headquartered in Clifton, New Jersey, and served customers in the United States and Canada. The brand's roots reach back to 1958, when Eugene Wallace Kalkin established a leased-linen department within Great Eastern Mills, a New Jersey discount retailer. Great Eastern Mills opened the first store using the Linens 'n Things name in East Brunswick in 1970. Following Daylin, Inc.'s bankruptcy in 1975, Kalkin purchased seven locations and established Linens 'n Things as an independent company. This transaction is generally treated as the beginning of the standalone retailer. The chain expanded during the late 1970s and early 1980s, reaching 55 stores by 1983. Melville Corporation acquired the company that year. Under Melville and later chief executive Norman Axelrod, Linens 'n Things pursued national expansion and larger superstore formats. It competed most directly with Bed Bath & Beyond for store locations and customer spending in the increasingly consolidated home-furnishings retail market. In 1996, after Melville reorganized into CVS Corporation, Linens 'n Things was separated through an initial public offering and operated as a public company. Apollo Global Management acquired the retailer in February 2006 for approximately $1.3 billion, taking it private. Robert DiNicola replaced Axelrod as chief executive during the transition, with F. David Coder serving as president and Omer Fancy as executive vice president of marketing. The company continued opening stores, but its financial position deteriorated under the combination of acquisition-related debt, weaker comparable-store performance, operating problems, and a difficult retail environment. The business reported declining customer transactions and substantially larger losses in 2007. Linens 'n Things filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 2, 2008, and initially closed 120 stores. Management briefly developed a plan to emerge from bankruptcy in early 2009, including a return to an everyday-low-price approach, better merchandise quality, more reliable inventory availability, and fewer heavily promoted clearance events. The plan did not succeed. In October 2008, the company received approval to auction its remaining stores, and asset-recovery specialists acquired the retail assets. Going-out-of-business sales began in the United States and Canada on October 17 and concluded in stores on December 28, 2008; the website continued liquidation activity into February 2009. The brand did not disappear entirely. After the store liquidation, Linens 'n Things was relaunched as an online-only retailer using its former web identity and continued selling home products. The online operation later changed ownership, including a 2013 sale by Gordon Brothers and Hilco Global to Galaxy Brand Holdings. In July 2020, Retail Ecommerce Ventures acquired the brand rights and relaunched the website later that year. REV subsequently described Linens 'n Things as one of its distressed-brand e-commerce properties. In March 2023, REV said it was considering a possible bankruptcy filing, leaving the brand's current operating status uncertain.
History
Linens 'n Things developed from a leased-linen operation created by Eugene Wallace Kalkin inside Great Eastern Mills in New Jersey in 1958. Great Eastern Mills opened the first store carrying the Linens 'n Things name in East Brunswick in August 1970. When Daylin, Inc. entered bankruptcy in 1975, Kalkin purchased seven locations and formed an independent company around them. The new retailer concentrated on household textiles and related home merchandise, establishing a specialized alternative to general discount stores. The business expanded rapidly during the late 1970s and early 1980s. By 1983 it had 55 stores and was acquired by Melville Corporation, a large retail conglomerate. Melville provided capital and infrastructure for further expansion. Norman Axelrod joined the company in 1989 and oversaw a more aggressive growth strategy, including the development of larger superstores. Linens 'n Things competed intensely with Bed Bath & Beyond for real estate, customers, and national relevance in the home-goods category. In 1996, Melville reorganized into CVS Corporation and Linens 'n Things was spun off through an initial public offering. As a public company, it promoted a broad assortment of brand-name home furnishings at everyday values, supported by low operating costs and a service-oriented retail proposition. The chain expanded across the United States and into Canada. By December 2006, it operated 571 stores in 47 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces and employed approximately 7,300 people. Apollo Global Management acquired the company in February 2006 for approximately $1.3 billion. The buyout changed the company's ownership structure and replaced Axelrod with Robert DiNicola as chief executive. The retailer retained a large physical footprint, but acquisition-related debt increased its financial burden. During 2007, sales benefited from new store openings, while comparable-store sales weakened because of fewer customer transactions. Operating and net losses grew substantially, reflecting pressure on the business and impairment charges. The company entered Chapter 11 on May 2, 2008, closing 120 stores at the outset. In August, management proposed an emergence plan that would have reversed several post-acquisition tactics. It intended to move away from highly promotional clearance activity and return to an everyday-low-price model, while improving product quality and replenishment. The plan was overtaken by continuing financial difficulties. In October, Linens 'n Things sought authority to auction its remaining 371 stores. The stores and website then entered liquidation, with physical locations closing by December 28 and online liquidation continuing into February 2009. After the bankruptcy process, the name was revived as an online-only retailer. The e-commerce business used the former brand and continued selling bedding, bath, housewares, and décor. Ownership changed again in 2013, when Gordon Brothers and Hilco Global sold the brand to Galaxy Brand Holdings. In July 2020, Retail Ecommerce Ventures acquired the rights and relaunched the website in November of that year. REV's model treated the name as a dormant retail asset that could be reintroduced digitally rather than rebuilt as a store chain. In March 2023, REV disclosed that it was evaluating a possible bankruptcy filing, and the present status of the Linens 'n Things operation remains uncertain.
- 2020
Retail Ecommerce Ventures relaunches the website
[1]REV acquired the brand rights and relaunched the website after purchasing the name in July.
- 2009
Online-only relaunch
[1]The brand returned as an e-commerce retailer after the completion of its store liquidation.
- 2008
Chapter 11 filing and store liquidation
[1]The company filed for Chapter 11, closed stores, and later liquidated its remaining physical locations in the United States and Canada.
- 2006
Apollo takes the company private
[1]Apollo Global Management acquired Linens 'n Things for approximately $1.3 billion.
- 1996
Linens 'n Things is spun off through an IPO
[1]As Melville reorganized into CVS Corporation, Linens 'n Things became an independently listed public company.
- 1983
Chain reaches 55 stores and is acquired by Melville
[1]The retailer reached 55 stores and attracted the attention of Melville Corporation, which acquired it.
- 1975
Independent company is established
[1]Following Daylin's bankruptcy, Kalkin bought seven locations and established Linens 'n Things as an independent company.
- 1970
First Linens 'n Things store opens
[1]Great Eastern Mills opened the first store using the Linens 'n Things name in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
- 1958
Kalkin establishes a leased-linen department
[1]Eugene Wallace Kalkin created a leased-linen department within Great Eastern Mills in New Jersey, laying the foundation for the later brand.
Products and positioning
Mid-range home-goods retailer emphasizing broad assortment, recognized brands, everyday value, and convenient shopping.
Home textiles
Bedding
Bedding was a core Linens 'n Things category and included household textile products associated with bedrooms, such as sheets, bed coverings, comforters, pillows, and related accessories. The category anchored the retailer's identity and connected its original linen-focused heritage with its later department-store and e-commerce assortment.
Home textiles and accessories
Bath
The bath assortment included towels, bath linens, shower-related goods, and decorative or functional bathroom accessories. Bath merchandise complemented bedding and helped position the retailer as a destination for coordinated household textiles rather than a seller of a single product type.
Housewares
Housewares and kitchen goods
Linens 'n Things broadened beyond textiles into practical household merchandise, including kitchen, dining, tabletop, storage, and organizational products. These lines increased the frequency and breadth of customer visits and supported the chain's superstore format.
Home décor
Home décor and decorative accessories
Decorative merchandise extended the assortment into accessories and furnishings intended to enhance living spaces. The category included decorative home products and related accents sold alongside textiles and housewares.
Brand decisions
2020
REV acquisition and digital relaunchM&ABackground
Retail Ecommerce Ventures was pursuing a portfolio strategy built around acquiring distressed or dormant consumer brands and operating them through digital commerce.
Action taken
REV acquired the rights to Linens 'n Things in July and relaunched the website in November.
Aftermath
The move restored a consumer-facing presence for the brand, although the business remained online-focused and its later operating continuity became uncertain after REV's 2023 bankruptcy disclosure.
2009
Conversion to an online-only retailerStrategyBackground
The store network had been liquidated, but the brand retained recognition in the home-goods category and an established web identity.
Action taken
New ownership continued the brand as an e-commerce business selling products similar to the former store assortment, eventually using the lnt.com domain.
Aftermath
The online operation continued for several years before its later ownership transfers and eventual 2020 relaunch under Retail Ecommerce Ventures.
2008
Proposed return to an everyday-low-price modelStrategyBackground
During its Chapter 11 proceedings, management developed a plan to emerge in early 2009 after the retailer's debt burden, weaker comparable-store sales, and operating losses had undermined the existing model.
Action taken
The proposed restructuring would reduce reliance on conspicuous clearance events and frequent product promotions, improve merchandise quality and inventory availability, and restore the everyday-low-price positioning associated with the earlier public-company period.
Aftermath
The plan was not implemented as a going concern. The company instead auctioned its remaining stores and liquidated the physical chain later in 2008.
Recent events
- 2023
Retail Ecommerce Ventures considers possible bankruptcy filing[1]
Bankruptcy
REV announced that it was considering a possible bankruptcy filing, creating uncertainty around the future operation of its portfolio brands, including Linens 'n Things.
- 2020
Retail Ecommerce Ventures acquires and relaunches Linens 'n Things[1]
M&A · Product launch
Retail Ecommerce Ventures acquired the brand rights and relaunched the website as part of its strategy of reviving distressed consumer brands through e-commerce.
- 2013
Galaxy Brand Holdings acquires Linens 'n Things[1]
M&A
Gordon Brothers and Hilco Global sold the online brand to Galaxy Brand Holdings.
- 2009
Linens 'n Things returns as an online retailer[1]
Other
Following the store liquidation, the brand continued as an e-commerce business selling categories similar to those offered by its former stores.
- 2008
Linens 'n Things files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
The retailer sought bankruptcy protection and announced the closure of 120 stores amid debt pressure and deteriorating operating performance.
- 2008
Store liquidation begins across the United States and Canada[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
After obtaining approval to auction its remaining stores, the company began going-out-of-business sales and ultimately shut its physical retail network.
- 2006
Apollo Global Management acquires Linens 'n Things[1]
M&A
Apollo acquired the publicly traded home-goods retailer and took it private in a transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
Sources1 sources
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