By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/
Posted: 11/05/2009
Napans Debbie Fagundes, left, and Diane Lldigiani both praised Vallejo's newly opened Bed, Bath and Beyond store Wednesday at Gateway Plaza. (Mike Jory/Times-Herald)
Vallejo's new Bed Bath & Beyond store in the Gateway Plaza shopping center opened Wednesday and was busy almost immediately, manager Tina Harris of Martinez said.
Harris said people have been eagerly anticipating the opening of the 41,000-square-foot store since it was announced.
"People have been waiting while we were stocking and setting up for the past 10 days," she said. "We had four customers in the door at 9 a.m."
There was a rush of customers over the lunch hour and another was expected Wednesday night, Harris said.
The new store, which moved into 105 Plaza Drive where the now-defunct Linens-N-Things once operated, features domestic merchandise and home furnishings, including a health and beauty care department, according to a company press release.
The store employs 35 people, plus managers, most of them local, Harris said.
Friends Diana Lodigiani and Debbie Fagundes of Napa said they're happy the store opened.
"We've been waiting for it, and I drove by it today and saw it was open and called Diana and said, 'Oh, my God, they're open, come on down!' " Fagundes said.
The women said there is not enough retail in Napa, which Fagundes said caters mostly to wealthy tourists, so they plan to frequent the Vallejo Bed Bath & Beyond.
The new store is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Vallejo's is the retailer's 107th California store. There are others in Vacaville and El Cerrito.
Bed Bath & Beyond Chief Executive Officer Steven Temares said company officials look forward to continuing in Vallejo, the firm's commitment to "providing exceptional customer service, a broad and deep assortment and great value to our customers."
Bed Bath & Beyond was founded in 1971 by company chairmen Leonard Feinstein and Warren Eisenberg.
The store grew from selling mostly bed linens and bath accessories to its present superstore format carrying a full line of domestic and home furnishing merchandise, according to the announcement.
Most stores range from 23,000 to 50,000 square feet and several stores exceed 80,000 square feet, the announcement notes.
Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or rzrihen@timesheraldonline.com.
