Investors Revive Re-Bath Presence in Evansville Tri-State Market

Zhu and Back, who first partnered while studying finance at the University of Kentucky, acquired their first Re-Bath location in Louisville after the previous owner retired. Impressed by the brand’s operational support and the stability of the remodeling sector, the duo moved to purchase the Evansville rights, which cover parts of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. This expansion signals a broader strategy for the pair, who previously built their partnership through commercial real estate and private equity investments.

Re-Bath CEO Brad Hillier cited the partners' reinvestment as a key indicator of the franchise system's health. The company, which currently holds a spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2026 Franchise 500, is positioning itself for further regional growth. Zhu and Back intend to use their combined background in business development to scale operations, with future plans already targeting markets in Lexington and Bowling Green. By staffing the Evansville territory, the partners aim to restore a local service footprint that had been vacant since the territory transitioned from corporate ownership to closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.