The Theory of Brookstone, Retailer of the Conspicuous Consumer

Chinese investment firm Sailing Capital and Chinese conglomerate Sanpower could have a new American asset after a bankruptcy auction on Monday: retail chain Brookstone, for which they will pay more than $173 million, subject to court approval. The sale will be central to Brookstone's plan to emerge from bankruptcy, after filing for Chapter 11 protection in April. So who are these two Chinese buyers? But more important than the question of who are the Chinese buyers: What is Brookstone? The store sells a variety of things that can be difficult to lump together in a coherent category.