Domestication of This Dog Continues Unabated

Why do home stores aimed at women have such open-ended names? It's not a sure-fire recipe for success: Kitchens, Etc. went under. Maybe people found the Latin pretentious, since they're ok with the forgetful guy down the block who says his store contains "Linens . . . and things." The clear winner in this field is the company that turned a line from The Collected Love Poems of George Lucas into a merchandising empire, Bed, Bath and Beyond! It makes you feel dashing to be in there perusing the crap, whereas the other names are more transparent stand-ins for the less attractive "odd lots we bought on clearance marked back up to list price." At least it makes me feel bold. Maybe it makes other people feel like an adventure movie for shut-ins.

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Emily Lawton
[this is good]
Isn't there also a chain called "House Beautiful"? That always struck me as such a half-assed (or possibly non-native English) thing to name a store.

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