Company Man on the decline of KB Toys, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Very early in my coverage of the Retail Apocalypse, I wrote "Oh, look, Bain Capital is involved with a failed toy store chain. Where have I seen that before?" in response to my first post about Toys R Us closing. I'm returning to the topic with Company Man's The Decline of KB Toys...What Happened?

I used to love going to KB Toys. It was the nations largest chain of toy stores located primarily in malls. This video talks about the circumstances that led to their multiple bankruptcies and ultimate closure.

Company Man Mike managed to make one of his trademark thorough yet succinct summary histories of a company. My only quibble is his not mentioning Mitt Romney's involvement in Bain Capital at the time, but that wasn't necessary to tell the tale of how private equity has been gutting retail, as much as it's been a pet peeve of mine. Speaking of which, I wish Strategic Marks luck in reviving KB Toys and the other defunct retail brands it owns. I have fond memories of going on shopping trips with my mom to many of them.

Stay tuned for two serious holidays, World Kindness Day and World Diabetes Day.