At Home Chairman and CEO Lee Bird to Retire After 11 Years with Company

Lewis L. “Lee” Bird III will retire at the end of the year as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Dallas-based home and holiday superstore At Home, the company announced.

Bird’s retirement will be effective Dec. 31, after 11 years leading the company. The board has initiated a search to identify the company’s next CEO.

“On behalf of the company, I want to thank Lee for his tremendous leadership of At Home over the last decade,” Lead Director Erik Ragatz said in a statement. “Lee helped build At Home into one of the great retailers across industries. Today, At Home is the go-to destination for home décor and holiday shoppers across the country. As a leader and mentor, Lee has had a profound impact on At Home’s thousands of employees and will remain an important member of the At Home family for years to come.”

At Home said it has formed an Office of the CEO to assume the responsibility for leading the business. The Office of the CEO includes Jeff Evans, president and chief merchandising officer; CFO Jerry Murray; and COO Ashley Sheetz. Erik Ragatz, At Home’s Lead Director, will serve as Executive Chairman.

Bird joined At Home after roles sat Nike and Old Navy

Bird joined At Home as CEO in December 2012 after leadership roles at top companies including Nike and Old Navy.

Under his leadership, At Home has evolved to provide consumers with the largest assortment of home and holiday décor products at a good value.

Bird oversaw At Home’s expansion from 58 stores and $364 million of revenue to 268 stores and nearly $2 billion in revenue today. He also led the rebranding of the company as At Home in 2014 and helped launch the company’s omnichannel offering.

Bird also steered At Home through the COVID-19 pandemic and spearheaded the development of its loyalty program in 2017, which has grown to over 15 million members.

At Home was founded in 1979 in Schertz, Texas, as Garden Ridge Pottery and was later rebranded to Garden Ridge.

“Helping At Home become one of the nation’s top home décor retailers is one of the great honors of my career,” Bird said. “I want to sincerely thank everyone throughout the company who has contributed to At Home’s many achievements. Together, we have created a valuable, differentiated business with even more room for growth, and I’m confident in this team’s ability to continue to build on At Home’s track record of success.”