While Barefoot Contessa was eponymous with Ina Garten, the store lost its luster after 18 years of ownership. Plus, a discovery of long-term theft led Garten to sell it in 1996.

In her memoir, "Be Ready When the Luck Happens," Garten wrote how a confounding conversation with an alleged shoplifter left her disheartened.

Additionally, her passion for running the store also gradually waned. "I felt that I wasn't doing anything new [...] wasn't bringing any creativity

to my work," she revealed.

Garten had lost her sense of purpose that had come with managing dozens of employees and virtually endless baking. She eventually only maintained a monetary stake in the business.