In October 2019, B8ta launched its Forum concept to advance beyond electronics and into fashion and lifestyle retail. Now, the company is rebranding Re:store’s Maiden Lane business within the Forum platform, enabling brand partners of Re:store to expand to West Hollywood, New York City’s Hudson Yards and other future locations, the company said.
Re:store’s brand partners will also have immediate access to Forum by B8ta’s online marketplace, the company said. Cruz will stay on in an advisory role to help B8ta with brand curation and community experience efforts, per the announcement.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic upended in-store shopping, it wasn’t clear whether Re:store’s model could last for a long time. But as B8ta highlighted in the acquisition press release, the company went on to raise $1.7 million in pre-seed funding led by Sequoia and SPC. As it hosted events and supported local brands, the startup also partnered with influencers like Jessica Alizzi, Alyssa Coscarelli, Karla Deras and Vivid Wu, the company noted.
Source: Retail Dive
Omni Talk is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga founded Omni Talk in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail. 
