Dive Brief:
- Bringing back a familiar face, At Home appointed Judd Nystrom as its chief executive officer, which became effective Sunday, according to a Tuesday press release.
- Nystrom previously served as the home retailer’s CFO from 2013 to 2018, during which he helped with At Home’s initial public offering. Since December 2025, he served as independent director and chair of the audit and risk management committee for At Home’s board of directors.
- The move comes after Brad Weston retired from the CEO role at At Home in July after stewarding the retailer through bankruptcy in 2025.
Dive Insight:
At Home is betting on company experience by tapping a former executive as its new CEO.
"Judd combines deep familiarity with At Home, strong financial discipline and a commitment to developing people," John Eck, executive chairman of At Home, said in a statement. "He understands the work underway and the opportunity ahead. We are confident he is the right leader to partner with the At Home team to drive brand growth across stores and digital, modernize our supply chain, and deliver a more inspiring, differentiated and rewarding customer experience."
Nystrom most recently served as CFO of Caliber, an automotive repair and services company, until February. He also previously served on the board for children’s toy brand Melissa & Doug and has financial retail experience at companies such as Best Buy and Advance Auto Parts.
Aaron Rose will continue to serve as president and chief commercial officer — which he was promoted to in May — with oversight of At Home’s merchandising, marketing, e-commerce, planning, supply chain, stores and more.
Under Rose’s leadership the last few months, At Home relaunched a loyalty program and “accelerated its assortment reinvention,” per the release.
Despite a tough housing sales market, demand for furniture has picked up throughout the year, according to a 2026 research holiday note from Telsey Advisory Group last month. However, much of that demand is coming from affluent consumers, creating a potential benefit to higher-end brands.
“These customers have been reengaging with home products and updating their homes,” the analysts said. “Several home furnishings retailers also stepped up their merchandising initiatives, including exclusive collaborations, new collections, product extensions, store refreshes, and new store growth, which is yielding results.”
