Buddyrents: Women's apparel retailer Bebe purchases 47 Buddy's Home Furnishings stores for $35 million

Bebe Stores Inc. has bolstered its top line in a hot category with the purchase of 47 Buddy's Home Furnishings rent-to-own franchise locations for $35 million, including one in Jacksonville, the company announced Wednesday. Bebe, a publicly traded Brisbane-based retailer that sells women's apparel and accessories globally, purchased the stores as well as rights to open 20 more franchises in the southeastern U.S. from Virginia-based Franchise Group Inc., which also operates LibertyTax, American...