Bankrupt - Pier 1 Imports

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Anyone shopping for some accessories and gifts back in the 1970's, 80's, 90's & early 2000's would remember the go-to store for stylish and exotic goods. It was a successful business model for decades however as competition grew and their strategy didn't, the company was left in a precarious public perception issue. Ultimately they couldn't weather the recession and in 2020, declared bankruptcy. This is how it happened...
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BrightSunFilms 2020

[@rudycastro8965]

COVID is going to keep this series busy for a minute.

[@BrightSunFilms]

I think so!

[@colonthree]

@@BrightSunFilms One man's dead is another man's bread. UwU

[@cesarcueto1995]

@@colonthree there will be more dead than bread

[@LikaLaruku]

Retail apocalypse = Driving through uninhabited desert wastelands with no spare tires or gas. Covid business lockdown = Driving in total darkness with broken breaks.

[@urbexwithkat9422]

Yup lol

[@shannawallace7855]

They seemed confused about who they wanted their target customer base to be. They opened many of their stores in middle class shopping centers, which cheapened their brand in the eyes of affluent shoppers, but they kept the upscale prices, so middle class shoppers percieved them as being way too overpriced. Who's going to pay $45 for a throw pillow at Pier 1 when they can go to the Marshall's next door and get one just like it for $12? They should have either lowered their prices to be more competitive in the middle class market, or if they wanted to remain upscale, only opened their stores in high income areas. You don't see Restoration Hardware opening a store in a shopping center sandwiched between a Ross and a 5 Below

[@Sashazur]

@Garity Yager I’m curious - what kind of stuff? I only probably have been inside a Pier 1 every couple years, but the ones I’ve been to the last decade or so in Oregon didn’t have any stuff from any religion - though they did have a lot of stuff that looks eastern/Indian.

[@GummyDinosaursify]

@@Sashazur The most religious thing I tended to see in a Pier 1 was maybe a buddha statue? But even that's pushing it as I feel like it was more for aesthetics rather than a religious figure.

[@Sashazur]

@@GummyDinosaursify I agree, if they had Buddhas it was just because they match the Pier 1 aesthetic, not because they are pushing buddhism. But probably not everyone would see it that way.

[@JeskidoYT]

that is why all furniture should be half off of their sales price. all of it.

[@295g295]

Near me, Crate & Barrel is beside the *best* mall in the region.

[@niawinston8666]

I know this will get buried in the comments...however my aunt worked for Pier 1 for 31 years, and did all she could to help corporate keep up with the trends she knew the customers wanted. She saw this coming though.She died unexpectedly in May, and they announced closing exactly a week later. Will miss her, and the Pier 1 gift the family got every year.

[@ryandevan2793]

Oh geez I’m so sorry for your loss

[@angelachouinard4581]

Sorry for your loss. I often wonder if smart and loyal employees like her are ever really listened to by upper management. You didn't get buried, I found your comment interesting and your feeling for her very heartwarming. Hope you see this

[@8instantramen]

That’s sad.... rest well, she did her best

[@ultimatedouchebag6760]

bad bosses fired good employees will always bankrupt a company.

[@johndong7524]

They went bankrupt because your aunt was giving them bad advice.

[@souljaboy1416]

"By 2020 they changed their marketing to target young home buyers" That was a mistake. Last I checked not many young adults have the opportunity to even comfortably afford their apartment.

[@Vernal_Sky]

Especially not during these past several months.

[@ghostlyhousehorrors]

at best young people usually obtain hand me down furniture from their parents. i know i did, it wasn't my style but it was free and was functional.

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

@@ghostlyhousehorrors Yup, I know exactly what that's like... :/

[@evonne_o]

You have to be 50 to get anywhere in life these days....

[@coloro853]

at some closing Pier one imports near I lived, they said they were having a sale, but it was $57 for a single pillow.

[@jugostran]

It's almost like their CEO went into IKEA and couldn't find the exit

[@SWIFTO_SCYTHE]

scp-3008 Infinite Ikea...

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

@@SWIFTO_SCYTHE Can't wait for SCP-3009 Mildly Confusing Lidl

[@jacobstevens8519]

@@KaiserMattTygore927 SCP-3010 Aldi with a clear exit

[@leeproffitt8676]

Literally was me for like 30 min never goin back

[@pmoneywest8099]

😂😂😂😂😂😂🚪

[@djdeadbeat4380]

The first and only time anyone has shown interest in a topic involving Pier One Imports.

[@______6787]

Watch company man he has already covered this and many other companies

[@whatwhatwhat79]

@@______6787 Both this channel and Company Man are good.

[@GCJACK83]

The problem with Pier-One: They forgot who their core demographic was and started pricing their items too high for that demographic, and this was being done on stuff you could buy at Walmart for cheaper. Their original core demographic was young just married couples and first-time homeowners. In short, two groups with not a lot of money to throw around who are more than likely in the market for new furniture and home decorations. Now, when you sell a papasan chair at a markup that makes the same chair cost twice as much as what you could pay for the same chair at Walmart, you're going to lose customers to Walmart. This papasan chair example could be applied to anything else Pier-One tried to sell.

[@LeolaGlamour]

Walmart doesn't sell the same items as pier 1. Wayfair and similar online stores is what killed them.

[@kittykat7858]

@@LeolaGlamour I think they were just making a general comparison. Pier 1 sold garbage at a high price. You can find the same garbage at Walmart at a lower price. Get it?

[@LeolaGlamour]

@@kittykat7858 Pier 1 had a lot of nice items, I disagree. I do agree their prices were high but you could catch most items at a sale.

[@LeolaGlamour]

@@kittykat7858 Walmart has changed their online so companies can dropship with them, but never did Walmart and pier 1 sell the same items.

[@LeolaGlamour]

@@kittykat7858 Maybe you mean target.

[@lordaustinking8366]

I find it crazy how most of this series includes so many stores I’ve just driven past over the years. never going in, but recognizing the names as I pass. I don’t have any connection to them but it still makes me sad to see some of em go

[@Rabbitlord108]

Same. The Pier 1 in my hometown was actually down the road from a Rooms location. And it became a Rooms To Go Patio following Pier 1's bankruptcy.

[@abbycollins]

I distinctly remember being shocked by this and bed bath and beyond having out of business sales. In the case of pier one imports, I wasn’t aware of the closing until I saw a Spirit Halloween sign pop up in my local shopping center’s location. I didn’t see any news about it closing and I didn’t visit that area often, so it definitely blindsided me.

[@Andres-.-]

Worked there for 6 months near the end, the clutter was because they were constantly getting obscene amounts of seasonal items. You'd basically have to rearrange the whole store every few weeks. The company would also accept a lot of cheap 3rd party stuff that just never got sold. The prices for the furniture there was just... yikes. Honestly, they should've just shifted their goods to only their fragrances, those were the only things worth buying from them.

[@feebz98]

Yeahh. I worked there the last 3 summers before closure. The cheap third party items started about 2 years before the bankruptcy. Everyone working there knew things were getting bad when that started. The worst thing is the new online store that never has any inventory but is claiming to be the same.

[@LordGucciGod]

Yeah I just finished working at a pier 1 that closed and we hated the 3rd party items so much.

[@Joeybagofdonuts76]

I used to deliver to the stores. Nearly killed my shoulder when a Torrance table fell on me in the trailer.

[@295g295]

10:24

[@angelita98gaby]

I worked there for a few months in the summer of 2019. I left around that October to focus more on school, months before it was announced that stores would be closing down. I can attest to the mess that would occur towards the end of the month from seasonal items being brought in early; I always felt second hand stress from my assistant managers whose tasks for the next few days involved planning out and setting up seasonal displays with new seasonal products that came pouring in. Mind you, we were a small team. Setting up new displays took up so much time and became hectic to manage while juggling the regular tasks of running the store.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

They really fell off the pier

[@desertguy1362]

You could say they were the one who fell from the pier.

[@carlitomatti8717]

A long walk on a short pier. to bad I liked that store

[@chinabluewho]

You missed your chance for a " took a long walk off a short pier".

[@cristianvillanueva8782]

I see your comments on just about everyone of my educational subs. More common than that justin y.

[@M.E-Martinez]

Into the sea that is bankruptcy

[@shibolinemress8913]

I remember Pier 1 Imports from the 70's and early 80's. Whenever we went to the mall, I'd pop in just to enjoy their unique ambience and smell of incense. I loved pretending I was on some exotic island. So many of the shops I grew up with are now gone. 😥

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

Nearly all the stores I remember as a kid are or have gone out of business, Circuit City, Sears, Ames, JC Penney, CompUSA, etc now Pier 1?

[@SuperPhunThyme9]

AMC and alot more are coming. This lock down stuff is heavy on everyone when all levels of your government, city, county, state, fed still expect prompt payment of all taxes....worse, not all of those taxes are based on sales or income...like property taxes, which don't go down when you are losing money or broke. What makes it more harmful is combining all this with pressure on companies to keep paying employees when it might make more sense to just temporarily close. Either way, the tax thing is definitely true for smaller companies, and given enough time, it has to hit everyone...and I think that's just what we are seeing unfold now.

[@longwalkshortpier]

Montgomery Wards, Kmart, Spiegel catalog, TG&Y, Gambles, Western Auto, Whitlock, so much more. 😒

[@kattegatcitychamberofcomme311]

Fedco,Zodey's, Handyman, Food Basket, Ferrals, Swenson's, Woolworths.

[@michaelskoomamacher5652]

@@kattegatcitychamberofcomme311 Woolworth and KMart are still Australia's #2 and #1 supermarket chain, respectively.

[@amyc9155]

Don't forget Lechmere!!

[@GrunkleMary]

Their overstock and cluttering issues kept some of my friends away from Pier 1 stores because of accessibility issues. No room for wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, or canes in those aisles.

[@BrightSunFilms]

Very good point

[@sumguy3687]

Honestly, ^^^ THIS ^^^ # 1 We didnt go in because we didnt want to knock something over and break it. Everything was so packed closely. # 2 lol, me and my friends are millennial's. We dont got the extra cash to buy the overpriced decorations for the homes we dont own.

[@05Forenza]

@@sumguy3687 True. But, I am a millennial with a home. I would prefer to spend a little extra and get something far nicer at a better store. Also agree though, Pier1's were a cluttered mess lol

[@riseabove3082]

@@maidenthe80sla You have to pass fire code with the local Fire Chief doing a walk-thru before you can even open doors for Business for the first day. So if they could pass when they opened the doors the first time then they could pass after.

[@roymustang87]

@@sumguy3687 stop blaming being a millennial for your laziness, I'm a millennial and own my own house

[@topicvideosguy]

There's a strip mall in my hometown that had a Circuit City, Toys-R-Us and a Pier 1 in it. The Circuit City got replaced by Marshall's and the Toys-R-Us got replaced by Ashley Furniture. After Toys-R-Us closed, I went "What's next, Pier 1?". That strip mall is haunted or something.

[@larrychilders6599]

Pier 1 becomes Spirit Halloween

[@topicvideosguy]

@Ben Bla Stadium Blvd and I-70 in Columbia, MO. You can even see the big Circuit City block thing. It's a really good location, too. Too bad it's cursed.

[@chicagoakland]

A strip mall near my home in Hayward, CA had a Circuit City and a Toys R Us...Circuit City became DD's Discounts (Marshalls, but broke) and the Toys R Us is still empty. At least the Chuck E. Cheese is still open...for now.

[@alexiscandia7492]

Omg, I know the store you mean. Maybe the Red Robin's?

[@topicvideosguy]

@@alexiscandia7492 I don't have a Red Robin anywhere near me. Actually, I'm pretty sure Mid-Missouri doesn't have a single one.

[@SmashedGlass]

Thirty years ago, Pier 1 was the cool place to shop. It's sad that they dumbed themselves down to the point that they were basically the Wal Mart of the home goods market.

[@brandonwombacher2559]

Nothing Lasts Forever

[@walterbrunswick]

@Rapid Revolt The rainforest you mean? I bet people at one point thought Sears would last forever too...

[@holdenmcgroin9774]

@@walterbrunswick the problem with Sears is they were a corporation run by old white guys who never embraced online technology. Amazon hired tons of Indian and Chinese computer science guys to navigate their website something Sears could not accept. The Sears catalog was like an Amazon but pre 90s

[@dasaniwaterdude9439]

A scene from "Friends" sums up the company: "Forget it, its from Pier 1"

[@percyyt7201]

BSF: They filed- Me: Already?? What?! BSF: For an initial public offering on the American stock exchange. *Oh that makes sense*

[@jlstika264l3]

Most entertaining series on yt not gonna lie

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thanks!

[@bigscrap84]

Its very in depth and in a weird way entertaining even though its about financial hardships

[@JamesConnor116]

Yes it is

[@lucasc9688]

It’s up there

[@videoarchive3166]

Yes

[@Fo0lish_mortals]

Pier 1 will have a special place in my memory for what it used to be. I remember back in the 90s when I was a teenager. Me and my sister used to go to the nearest Pier 1 and pick out stuff for our imaginary apartment. It will always remind me of that time in my life.

[@KrazyKeith4]

I never really cared for Pier 1 Imports. I never found anything I couldn't go without. Nothing ever caught my eye enough to spend $20+

[@bevolson7619]

I couldn’t either...

[@somedude9528]

Pier 1: *Gets greedy* Pandemic: *So you have chosen death...*

[@matthewbennett9928]

They were going out before the pandemic

[@albertawheat6832]

@darrell holland 😳😬😬😂😅💯

[@RetroPizzaFan]

Nice video! Next Bankrupt episode should be about Chuck E. Cheese's filing for Chapter 11 back in June.

[@wulfone5961]

They deserve it.

[@pickles3128]

I wonder if they ever attempted to sue Shane Dawson for his grasping-at-straws 'documentary' about how they reuse uneaten pizza slices left on tables to reheat them and make a new pizza. But seriously, those tunnels were already a nightmare (I remember one kid shit in one and it got everywhere from other kids crawling through it), plus all the games where you'd basically have to wipe down the entire surface after one snotty kid after the other used it. Oh and kids sitting next to one another at birthday parties, can't have that anymore. (Even though the disease really only kills people over 85 and those with preexisting conditions.)

[@RetroPizzaFan]

@@pickles3128 From what I know they didn't, although it sort of tarnished their reputation.

[@SpinelFan64]

@@wulfone5961 Nah, I like them.

[@evilgasm5320]

Sheesh, there goes a dream... I wanted to visit a chuck e cheese just because of all those stories. I do believe when I come as a tourist to the USA it will be between the natural beauty and the famous food outlets :) or does anybody need a red book drone pilot over there?? xD

[@wowhaha4871]

I hope he does Abandoned videos on Regency Mall in Augusta, Georgia (has been abandoned for 18 years), and Northridge Mall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (has been abandoned for 17 years).

[@vacantcc8852]

I remember I was always scared that I’d knock something over in the store cause of how enclosed and cluttered it was

[@holdenmcgroin9774]

I knocked something over and they threw me out of the store and told me never to come back. I said ok I won’t !!!

[@cheyennebarnes7447]

Pier 1 had expensive prices compared to other retailers that were “discounted”. I remember shopping with my mom at pier 1 to put some pillows and they were charging $75 for them. We went to TJ maxx in the next plaza over and got identical ones for $20. Pier 1 may have started the industry but fell behind and subcame to it

[@taroman7100]

They didnt get onboard with the new retail. They stayed offline and suddenly Kirklands, Wayfair and copycats came in for cheaper plus they shipped.

[@ebonymcclain1805]

This feels like Company Man but more savage.

[@JBBrickman]

Wait... oh wow I thought this was company man!

[@averylawson5825]

wish they would do a collab

[@CJBroonie]

Wait, this isn’t company man? I too am fooled!

[@stepawayful]

But less detailed

[@kartoonfanatic]

Company Man covered Pier 1 before. But I'd love to see these two have a crossover.

[@louisreta5658]

Covid: How many stores do you want me to close down? BSF: Yes

[@thanakonpraepanich4284]

Fast forward to April 2021, do you see any chain store coming to Bright Sun Films channel soon?

[@MsDesignDiva]

What's wild is that what was the Pier 1 Imports location in my town (which I always thought of Pier 1 as one of the more expensive/fancy stores in town) that location/building has become one of the lowest end stores around, a brand new Dollarama location. It's still this fancy looking building from the outside, but it's just a basic dollar store inside, lol.

[@rebeccasmith3837]

I remember their most recent commercial: It was a dining room where they threw everything in that store on the set, nothing matched, had layered dishes, the foodless table was so crowded & ugly. When they were going out of business by my house, I picked out an "accent" chair that was really a plush dining room one, because it did match my living room, but everything else was over priced even at "clearance".

[@jill7913]

my pier 1 everything was pretty good i stocked up on candles and my mom bought a bunch of cute stuff for their house

[@tiffprendergast]

Yuppp

[@youtubeaddict2018]

They were overpriced. That’s why they are going out of business. They couldn’t flex their prices to compete with other competitors.

[@langer4086]

yep. and the quality became questionable at best by the end. their everything must go sales was just junk

[@eddiethewhale3268]

I remember going in one with my mom last year on Black Friday because she wanted to see the plates, and we came to the conclusion that Pier 1 Imports sells overpriced and ugly decor that could never fit the style of any home. Even when I was younger and went with my dad and stepmom to one of the stores, my dad always mentioned how expensive items were for what you were really getting and I needed to be careful when walking around because it was always so cluttered, that I would fear of breaking something accidentally and especially because everything there was expensive.

[@HSAC.WDTK.DTKT.LFO.]

Pier 1, the store that you visit and ask yourself "what is it that you sell again?"

[@evilferris]

“What kind of dining set defines me as a person?“ I had it all. Even the glass dishes with tiny bubbles and imperfections, proof they were crafted by the honest, simple, hard-working indigenous peoples of wherever.

[@taroman7100]

The "wherever" was Greece, Italy not friggin China.

[@Headywon]

"I usually opt for Crate & Barrel, or Pottery Barn" * laughs in free stuff I found on the street *

[@pariscloud2907]

Please do be very careful doing that Don't want to accidentally bring in bugs that'll cost more to get rid of than new furniture would in the first place

[@Headywon]

@@pariscloud2907 I only take wood stuff; nothing with cloth or cushions

[@carmacharmella2769]

Or cool stuff I found at the thrift store

[@pariscloud2907]

@@Headywon that's good. If it were me I'd probably inspect that too just to be sure. Probably fine though.

[@CursedSouthwest]

We find an entire 2000’s surround sound stereo system for free on the side of the road. They got rid of it because it would randomly turn on. It had a radio alarm set. The thing worked until I got a better stereo from my grandpa from 1976. The thing also would probably cook a pancake if you let it...

[@CaffeineGeek]

My memories of Pier 1 Imports consisted of going with my mother who was there to return unwanted wicker items, candles, and candle related accessories.

[@taroman7100]

At first, they were snooty about returns but they had to back down. Wayfair really stuck it to them.

[@avia_lor1726]

It would be cool for this series to cover about the bankrupt shipping company, Hanjin Shipping. One of the largest container shipping companies in the world and offered bulk and container services. They had owned almost 100 container vessels and had 6,000 employees and transported cargo to countries that had notable companies such as Nike. Until it's unexpected bankruptcy in 2017.

[@SoCloseToToast]

Yay new video!

[@onlypuppy7]

No one cares

[@jonson1816]

exactly what I'm saying oh my god its time now!!

[@RetailThrone]

@@onlypuppy7 i do

[@buuck_6517]

@@onlypuppy7 I do

[@LucidFL]

I use to watch you all the time as a kid I completely forgot you existed

[@therock238360]

COVID killing retail. Jake: “It’s free real estate”

[@MrJcoupe96]

I feel bad for their employees that have lost their jobs but it was honestly just a matter of time for this store. Every time my wife and I gave it a chance and went in there, we were always sticker shocked at the prices they were charging for their products. The EXACT same kind of stuff I could purchase at Home Goods for less than half that. A couple of months ago, we went into one again because they were having the "going out of business sale". We walked in and I found a set of 4 drink coasters that I thought looked pretty neat. I flipped it over to look at the price...$30, for 4 coasters?!?!? We left the store right after that. We won't miss them.

[@alligatorjonesphd]

Both Kirkland's and Home Goods also have a weird 'randomness' to the store layouts which puts me off from the stores, because I feel overwhelmed with choice, in the same way Bed Bath and Beyond has ceiling high shelves. It feels more like they are trying to give me a need than me actually having a need to be filled. Mid century modern (ikea) minimalism has replaced knick knack kitschy chic which now comes off as dated and tacky. 70s furniture is in right now so maybe knick knacks will come back into fashion too.

[@mworld2611]

I was an actual Pier employee several months ago. Sad to see it go :(

[@dangeroustoys5668]

I worked for kmart, so yea i know how y feel. I stayed right to the end , getting some easy money.

[@miamarks2925]

Hope you’ve found employment you enjoy just as much if not more.❤️

[@mworld2611]

@@miamarks2925 although I am unemployed now because I moved. I quit Peir 1 back in July for a great job at a car dealership as a service technician to get experience and I loved it. Thanks for the kind wishes :)

[@miamarks2925]

@@mworld2611 anytime, friend!

[@TaliaIGhul]

The way things are going, some major movie theater chain will be a bankrupt video on this channel.

[@kentclark6420]

They're starting to go back to drive-in theaters. Yay!

[@jenniferfitzgerald1796]

Went to a movie the other day. The pizza hotdog fries stand was closed and there were 8 people in the theatre. Box office closed, you had to use the machine or online. 2 employees. No movie previews or their trivia game.Terrible.

[@andrewputnam2717]

I feel like hollywood will keep them afloat for the time being

[@3xfaster]

@Dis Broad technically it’s a real-estate company Wanda Holdings, and it’s just AMC Theatres.

[@BollingHolt]

3:15 Blues Brothers and the old Dixie Square Mall!

[@emilyofjane]

We had a standalone Pier 1 Imports in the surrounding area of the Huntington Mall. It was there for as long as I could remember. Never actually went inside, but it was such a mainstay of the shopping district that I still felt sad to see it go.

[@matt4756]

here in Vancouver, BC, there was a Pier 1 Imports right underneath a Bed Bath & Beyond. Interesting fate for that building

[@andr3wdr1ves25]

I love this channel man! Keep up the amazing work!

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thank you thank you!

[@TPCo0Lz]

Lots of knowledge, firsthand viewpoints and great editing for all your videos! I am glad you are getting more known! Well done.

[@Nikephorus]

I went to the local Pier 1 before they closed their doors. Everything in the store was pretty low quality, but the prices were insanely high.

[@MeghanConsadene]

I worked at a Pier 1 in 2017-2018 and was shocked when I heard they filed. The location I worked at always did well and was placed in an upscale plaza. We had many diehard, loyal customers. But it all makes sense now after watching this video

[@NeoTheLynx]

And now we have Le Château added to the list

[@jenniferfitzgerald1796]

Too expensive and only gave a store credit instead of a refund until the last year. We lost Bombay and Stokes too for nice things. Home Sense came in and showed us how ludicrous Pier 1 was. Employees had to hear about them losing their jobs on the news like the rest of the world with these stores. Shameful. Bombay & Bowring was just before Christmas. All these employees had to suffer through clearing out the items till the end then find new jobs. Michaels will be next.

[@gladitsnotme]

@@jenniferfitzgerald1796 I hope Michael's sticks around, I love it there.

[@alexandermckay8594]

I think it's going to be a footrace with The Bay. In just a couple of years there won't be a dept. store in Canada. It's going to be interesting on what will be considered an "anchor" in the malls.

[@DayiCuttieify]

I worked in pier 1 for a year from September 2019 to September 2020 when we closed.... I miss my coworkers and the place held many memories ... 💙 wasn’t always the easiest because we would get some customers that weren’t the easiest but it was worth it when you would get those that you could have a nice conversation with and help out and you would see them leave and come back to see you again as well as come back for you to help them ... was nice putting a smile on those who would like to fix their homes every once in a while or just those who loved trying new things 💙

[@donnam4759]

Pier 1 was way too expensive. I’m not surprised it’s gone.

[@AlexKiritz]

When I was a little kid there was one pretty close to my house and I went there a lot with my mom. They replaced it with another drug store and we never went to the new location. It’s sad how much prime real estate is wasted on banks and drug stores.

[@Tom5TomEntertainment]

This is what happens when you sell furniture at a way higher price than anyone can or will pay for it.

[@lonelyshrimpart]

One of my favourite experiences with this channel is definitely seeing clips of stores near me in the video. I went to the pier 1 by the pen centre once I think?? Last year??? It was a cluttered mess of a store with clearance racks everywhere, but otherwise fun to pick through.

[@kirinzboralski1807]

I used to work at a pier one that recently closed. We used to work overnight shifts to “re-stage” the store where we would essentially move the clutter around for 5 hours and make it just as cluttered as before

[@whizwart1]

7:22 that always amazes me when one person leaves and the whole thing collapses. It makes me wonder if the person was just good at keeping shady stuff going on, or were they genuine and somehow the organization absorbed nothing of what they had to offer.

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

"that always amazes me when one person leaves and the whole thing collapses." Quite common, because that single person had vision, built up the company, made money, and exited. Others (without vision) left behind to steer the ship try to get their takes too, and that's usually what bleeds a successful company dry.

[@RealSetsuP]

"discount Pottery Barn" Me: still couldn't afford either of them

[@TheBanjoShowOfficial]

Im betting Kohl's is gonna show up here in a few years. I give it 2 years.

[@AEvans36977]

I've never shopped in much of the store but I know that their women's apparel looks like crap. Even JLo and Vera Wang can't help. Except for a few classic pieces that I found, their selection is seriously on the down slope.

[@Hibari787]

I loathe kohl’s. They’re way to expensive for clothes that are ugly and fall apart too fast. Not to mention that the staff is almost always rude

[@hankkingsley9183]

All retail is destined for the scrap heap outside of a few particular exceptions like AutoZone

[@zaphodb9213]

But, but...they have sales.

[@NorybDrol82]

Funny you should mention that. I was being dragged around stores by my wife and step mom. I wasn't paying too much and when we went to Kohl's I honestly thought we were in a JCPenny's. Given how things have turned out for JCPenny's it definitely doesn't bode well for Kohl's.

[@MrJtrot]

Hey Jake! This video got me thinking about the Bombay Company. I don't know if you had that in canada growing up but here in the states they were fairly popular and went through a similar downturn. Great vid as always!

[@joshjarnagin3161]

Great job Jake! As an aspiring person within the media world I love to watch your work. Keep it up!

[@BrightSunFilms]

I really appreciate it!

[@tvforeverus]

Jake: What a great and detailed analysis of what caused this one grand franchise to go under as fast as it did. I never realized how successful they were just six to seven years ago and how it all went downhill so quickly. It makes me so sad that it’s all gone away so fast...

[@sherimcdaniel3491]

Friends would meet up for lunch, then shopping in far-away shops that were all within “Pier 31’s” walls. If someone was moving or one of your kids was moving out, a housewarming gift or birthday present from the Pier was always the go-to gift. We would go up and down the aisles looking at specialised kitchen do-dads, wine gizmos and/or amazing fragrances, new kitchen tools that were must-haves and towels, bedding - just very nice merchandise. A couple of hours later we would emerge with our treasure-troves of the “perfect” gift(s)! It was a standing date on Mondays......giving a reason to get up and go to work! Ours was right on the waterfront. We would park under the viaduct and walk over. A very nice store with a smidge of “posh” here and there. Great memories! Thanks for this upload, my friend. I saw it in a search the other day and found it again. So sorry to see them go.......our society cares far more for “use and toss” than going for something that you’ll be able to pass down to the kids (a special plate set out with cookies for Santa every year, for example) because it brings back happy memories. Things like that are becoming a thing of the past. 😢 But this upload is very well done, as are all of yours. Keep up the amazing work you do. It won’t be long until virtually every KZbin user knows your name. Bigger and better things are just barely out of sight, if that is what you want. Stay safe and be well!

[@ljphoenix4341]

Still can't believe that you're a part of Nebula now, that's just so awesome, very well deserved, considering how much time and effort goes into your videos!! When you first announced that you had joined Nebula as a creator, I was so freaking excited and happy for you to see that all your work and dedication to providing us with quality content hadn't go unnoticed. I'd honestly thought from the very beginning since Nebula was made public, and tied to Curiosity Stream that this channel would make a perfect fit.

[@SHADOSTRYKR]

We had 2 Pier 1 stores a literal 5 min drive apart. They had however both survived until now.

[@moniquemc4553]

They were folding well before COVID it. It was known and announced to store manage the in (so cal)in February. The first week of March they already had plans set for going out of business sales. COVID had nothing to do with it. Even your pic at 8:18 noted 450 stores closed in January.

[@kellingtonlink956]

This video was very well thought out. I appreciate taking me on Pier 1’s history. Thanks.

[@MariW736]

Pier 1 was my JAM in the late 90s and early 2000s... my mother and I had a tradition of going every single year and picking out a little variety of fun new glittery tree ornaments for Christmas. I loved their decorations, their glassware, so many things. I fell off over time as my life changed and their store got less interesting and more cluttered. I skipped a few years, and tried going back once or twice in the late 00s, and I remember at that time thinking what a difference it was and wondering how much longer they would last. This is probably one of the very few stores that I actually have, like, emotional feelings about its decline and closing 😅😬💗

[@mafiousbj]

2012 and no website? Damn they took a good nap with that one ^^

[@kibakarina13]

I wonder if he’s going to do JCPenny, not all are closing but it’s ashamed to see something that’s been here forever is going bankruptcy

[@Gamerblam]

I remember me and my mom would go out shopping sometimes and I remember seeing a Pier One Imports near some notable stores •Bath & Body Works •Target •TJ Max •Dollar Tree •Big Lots •Five Below •Marshal’s (Also wasn’t that far from Stonebriar Mall)

[@SupkevGaming420J]

I really enjoyed this series. I really hope you can continue this after covid

[@nosredna4389]

Shop-Vac recently filed for bankruptcy. Seeing as that is such a staple brand like Kleenex is to facial tissues I think it would be really interesting to see one on it or maybe that’s just me🤷

[@kjr9747]

We just bought a 6 gallon Shop Vac. Cheaply made POS. All plastic. I couldn't believe the quality.

[@gladitsnotme]

Yeah shop vac used to be quality, they suck bc they're all made in China junk now. Pyrex too, used to last generations, I still have my grandma's baking dish, but recent stuff cracks and breaks in the oven. Garbage.

[@ImAlwaysFrisky]

@@gladitsnotme look at it this way, with all the crap made in China it’s making you (and others) realize we need things made of quality that will last. Especially if everyone wants to save the world with recycling & not wasting.

[@Sashazur]

@@gladitsnotme Yes, for the last few decades, USA pyrex is just regular glass. The logo is the tipoff, if it’s lowercase “pyrex” it’s crap, if it’s uppercase “PYREX” it’s the good stuff - borosilicate glass. I think they still make/sell the good kind in Europe.

[@dianebrady6784]

@@Sashazur Pyrex is an American invention....from Corning glass in Corning Ny....trouble began when they allowed china to manufacture it.

[@seriousder]

Loving the series! You explain it all great, Keep up the great work.

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thanks so much!

[@johnjohnmeg]

My favorite channel on KZbin........ thanks for the upload and fantastic work Jake.......

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thanks!!

[@INWMI]

never get a debt you can't pay, and if the ship is sinking sometimes is better to jump before shallows you

[@georgenaidoo9553]

Ive watched like most of your channel.this is Netflix worthy content.props to you man

[@BrightSunFilms]

I really appreciate that

[@thephantomarse8525]

I would agree with that the abandond stuff is great too

[@subzippo]

My mother used to drag me to Pier 1 when I was young. It was soooooo boring. I can't help taking a sadistic pleasure in their bankruptcy.

[@jlrvintagevinyl3552]

Dude same thing here. The music in there would always piss me off lol

[@valzalel5203]

lol

[@serfnuts]

Me too, now at 34 I wouldn't mind wandering around one now myself. The difference now is I don't have to money to buy anything and now there's none left. A lot of times millennials are getting blamed for stuff like this, we're not buying enough or whatever they want the say. Is that our fault that we don't have the same buying power as our parents did when they were my age and I was a kid? Both my parents are nurses and now I am too, but my dad was able to make almost as much as I'm making now in the mid 80s...

[@feebz98]

I felt the same way for years. Then I started working there 🤣 now I’m really sad to see it gone and ended up working part of the liquidation sale.

[@pickles3128]

@@serfnuts It's because both parents are now expected to work. The size of the workforce effectively doubled. When you have literally twice the amount of people looking for jobs you can offer each one 50% less. That's why in the 50s mom could work (but didn't have to) but was expected to be a home keeper. My mom was born in 1949, had me at 41 and just didn't understand when I turned 18 in 2008 she couldn't just kick me out with a high school diploma and expect me to thrive. McDonald's and other low-skill jobs literally paid 7.25 an hour and all apartment complexes do in-depth background and credit checks (I had no credit) and make sure your income is less than 1/3 of your rent (which is at least 600 a month.) Colleges had an "expected family contribution" of 10k my parents would NOT pay and they made you come up with it anyway unless you were over 24. That's not including the 40k a year you rack up in debt at any university.

[@vindijanesmith8963]

Pier 1 was amazing in the 90s. It's so sad to see how bad it became, and it kinda broke my heart to hear they were done.

[@Sandi-ke9mi]

The loss of this store makes me so sad. When I first moved to California from Pennsylvania over 36 years ago, and my nieces and nephew were so delighted with the gifts that I would get them from pier one and send back to Pennsylvania. It was mostly novelty type items but they seemed very exotic to them, but it was affordable and I loved shopping there. I had a wall hanging I got there that looks like a large fan with cranes painted on it, and it was on the wall of my bathroom for over 35 years. But with less and less stores they got harder to find and I just kind of forgot about them. I guess I shouldn’t miss where I hadn’t shopped for years, but I really liked that store once upon a time. I love documentaries!

[@Sandi-ke9mi]

I just signed up for curiosity stream and used the code BSF and got five dollars off when I paid for the entire year. What a great deal❣️ Thank you Jake! 🙏🏻

[@anais937]

Pier 1 imports is so expensive for no reason. Their decorations have nothing unique about them. You could get the same thing at home sense for a much more affordable price. Their styles are a little outdated.

[@dasbubba841]

Pretty much. Hated when my mom would drag me to the local Pier 1, because for me, everything seemed tacky and confused.

[@ghostlyhousehorrors]

they were overpriced walmart looking and quality furniture.

[@citibear57]

Exactly! I bought more at Home Sense for that very reason.

[@dangeroustoys5668]

True , stuff is high dollar in there. Even in thier closing days , stuff was marked down very little

[@toomanymarys7355]

Even when middle class women commonly shopped there in the 90s and 80s, they sold trashy stuff for ridiculous prices. I could never understand why anyone shopped there.

[@jacksonbitzer3336]

Interesting. The brand was still strong in 2016 even with a strong presence of online shopping in the world. I can’t feel sad for this company, as it seems they screwed up themselves and did not keep up with the times.

[@carsilk2492]

I found this very interesting, grew up with Pier 1 so it's sad(?) to see them go. I loved that outro music too! This got me thinking about Kmart and how surely, 2020 must be the nail in that company's coffin.

[@SweetJustice]

In my town pier one and micheals are side by side. Michaels was open and pier one had you order and pick it up outside. Employees were outside with tables and thier parking lot was empty. Micheals was packed.

[@Jorgie000]

Nice!! I was literally just thinking yesterday whens the next bankrupt gona come out! Love these!

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thank you!!

[@mckennaphillips4327]

I got really depressed this summer after a break up, but then I started watching these videos (and other channels) in bed at night and it became my favorite part of the day. I don't know why, but these videos are helping me with anxiety/depression.

[@JohnPDern]

Honestly same.

[@mckennaphillips4327]

@@JohnPDern we're in this together bro

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Same reason for the popularity of soap operas: "you mean there are people whose lives are way more tragic than my own? I suddenly don't feel so bad."

[@NScaleTrainBoy]

Sorry for posting the same thing I just posted on the Fisker video, I didn’t see this video! I still mean it though! Love this channel!! This series and honestly entire channel is so great. I love these videos so much, they give me something interesting to watch and listen to while working on my work for college and also let me learn a bunch of really interesting stuff. Keep going Jake! I know this has been put into comments many times before, but for Bankrupt, consider looking into the Penn Central Railroad. It was, until Enron went bankrupt, the biggest bankruptcy in US History. It went bankrupt less than 2 years after beginning service, and itself was made out of a series of bankrupt railroads. The only way Northeastern Railroading could be saved was for the US government to step in and partially take over. Many of the lines owned by Penn Central still are run today, and I think it would make for a very interesting video given the level of detail and research you put into your work. Thanks for all the great videos, and I hope you are doing well and staying safe!!

[@wiltony]

Jake, we enjoy your videos, great job! One quick note we noticed that kind of gave us a chuckle: "liquefy" has a very different meaning than "liquidate." (You accidentally used the former and we imagined Pier 1 putting their assets into a blender lol.)

[@ChristionGirl45]

Always love the time, effort, and attention to detail you put into your videos! I always look foreword to new videos from you!

[@BrightSunFilms]

Thank you so much!

[@geodesical]

It's interesting to see how they fell so fast, I always thought the same as you when it came to Pier 1, though additionally that it was for older people, because whenever I did go in one with a family member, the only other customers looked to be 50yo+, which at least for me made me want to look more at Crate and Barrel as a 'younger' brand

[@corbin6063]

My grandma use to take me to peir 1 imports and It made me so happy, I loved seeing all of the hanging chairs and cool furniture it’s bittersweet to see it go

[@Numbahz]

I remeber selling the building in southampton to them, back in 2005.. It's insane how busy they became even that store was very busy until 2016 and around 2010 they started going down hill for sure. Greta video.!

[@ngtflyer]

Another great video. These have turned into mini-documentaries and your narration is always clear and on point. Keep up the great work! Also creeping ever closer to 1 million subscribers. Well deserved!

[@shellsnbees]

I’m so happy that you’re making this video thank you so much for all the videos you make on these topics they are very interesting! As soon as I realize they were filing for bankruptcy I thought about you and was really looking forward to this video thank you so much!

[@idrawpeopleandanimals7252]

Amazing documentary (as always) ❤

[@ianalyzeeverysecondiexist]

The BSF videos have always been great, no matter what topic was covered. One of the best narrator voices as well.

[@SonyEnthusiast]

I've never shopped there even though there has been one in my neighborhood. Now it's shut down and turned into a Spirit Halloween store

[@scdevon]

It's going to be a Halloween store for another few days before it sits empty again all winter. I know that you know, but It hasn't "turned into" a Halloween store. Some retailer squats there for the month of Oct and that's it. Strip Malls are on life support now and landlords will take anything to make a buck. When you see "Asian Massage' places and "Lucky Bamboo" Asian gift shops move into a mall, it's game over.

[@carwhiz90]

That's what my hometown former k Mart became

[@SonyEnthusiast]

@@carwhiz90 wow, I bet it has a lot of space cause Kmart is usually a big store

[@SonyEnthusiast]

@@scdevon in your area yea, but there's an Asian massage spot in my local mall and it's still packed even during the pandemic

[@carwhiz90]

@@SonyEnthusiast it does and is. I only went there three times

[@challenger398]

i worked at pier 1 all the way up till the final day, and only worked there a couple months. im so sad it closed, because it was, by far, my absolute best job experience ever. it might have very well just been that one location, but the employee base and store environment made me love it. granted, i actually always did love it, but il never forget the people i worked with all the way up till the end

[@kkandbeyond]

I remember back when I was in high school, my friends and I would go inside to get inspiration for our future apartments. When I got older, I only went into Pier 1 once a year around tax season because the prices were so high. The only time I would make a purchase was if it was something very unique and I couldn't find anywhere else which was rare. Our store was aesthetically pleasing so I would go in there just for home decor inspiration. I know that had to affect there sales as well.

[@f.michaelbremer-cruz2708]

I used to love shopping at Pier 1 and this video explains well why that love faded by the late 2010's. Their store here in Gaithersburg MD held on until the end and while it was nice when I last stopped in, it wasn't a "treasure hunt" anymore. It wasn't that different from the Target across the street. I knew then it wasn't long before that chain was going to vanish, even as they were in an ideal location here. RIP Pier 1, my home continues to be graced with some of the Treasures I found soon after I moved here.