Eddie Bauer bankrupt and closing stores in the U.S. and Canada

I'm disappointed, I love the First Ascent line, especially the pants for travelling.

A sad end.

very disappointing.....My favorite raincoat ever was an Eddie Bauer with zipper closing outside pockets & 2 internal pockets it went all over with me.

I love my many Eddie Bauer items, especially coats & jackets. Very sad.

My guess would be that the brands and designs will be picked up by another company and blended into their product, Now, will they be the same? Who knows.

I agree with others though, it is a bit of a shame, of my clothes I usually bring when I travel, maybe a third to half are Eddie Bauer items. (Though probably half of those I picked up at Costco, not a store)

Sierra has quite a bit of EB merchandise, including the Girl on the Go trench that I've seen mentioned on the forum.

And will not be the last. The "Amazon" style of shopping is killing general retail. I think all the Sears stores are going. Any new shopping malls being built?

Let's clarify this.

The operator of Eddie Bauer STORES in the US and Canada has filed for Chapeter 11 bankruptcy. They are reorganizing and looking for a buyer.

This does not affect stores in other countries nor their online ecommerce operations which are run by different licensees.

The "Amazon" style of shopping is killing general retail.

Amen! Just like Walmart, they've put far, far too many small businesses out of business. I might be a recalcitrant curmudgeon, but I won't buy from either one unless it is something I can't do without (a very rare thing) and can't find it anywhere else.

I'm sorry to hear this, I have a number of EB items.
EagleCreek was in a similar situation a few years ago, and was eventually revived by new owners.

As the OP mentioned, the website offerings have been drastically cut, so it seems it's more than the closing of US stores.

Thanks, Frank II, for the clarification. I guess I've never noticed or realized that Eddie Bauer had stores or operations outside of the United States or Canada.

TC, you might be but you have company. I grew up in rural, central Nebraska in the 40s,50s in a big, sandhill town (4,000) and my Dad was a local merchant selling everything from bolts, paint, nails to tires with some furniture and sometimes a rifle or two. Walmart and the strip mall did in a lot of the downtown merchants. And then the meat packing plants came providing so so paying jobs but lots of them. And now they are gone. The current administration has thrown the grain farmers under the bus and laughs about it since most of them are suckers. It is tough living in the mid-west.  Not sure what will happens in NB, KS, the Dakotas, but the depopulation is a serious problem.

There's a reason we shop at Amazon. I recently ordered two cosmetic items from Amazon because the stores(Walmart and Walgreen) where I had previously purchased them no longer carried them.

I saw the one near us was closing and assumed it was just the Canadian stores. Surprised it's all.

This is the third time the various owners of the Eddie Bauer brand have gone bankrupt. When you are a solo brand sporting goods company, it’s gotta be tough to compete with any company like REI etc. who carry multiple brands. Probably for the owners a store front through Amazon makes a lot more sense than a brick and mortar store front. They do carry some good items that my wife and I use.

I am very sad to hear this. My entire travel wardrobe is Eddie Bauer because they are the only company that has them in tall sizes for women. I hope they can work it out. It does explain why their brick and mortar stores have mostly all closed, here. But, I have to say, I always waited for a sale as their regular prices are too high for me.

While it’s easy to blame Amazon, this company’s problems pre-date Amazon’s dominance

They really been struggling for over 20 years. Their first bankruptcy pre-dates Amazon really taking off in popularity. They’ve been bought they’ve been sold, etc.

I do feel empathy for the employees losing their jobs. Me thinks though Carol is correct, Eddie Bauer the organization and brand have been in decline for decades. Eddie Bauer Sr and Eddie Bauer Jr got out at the right time, 1968.

Hate to say it but I've purchased very little at EB stores as most of their merch hasn't been a good fit for either my 5'1" height, short-waisted shape or wallet. We did stop by a store going out of business at the mall this afternoon and both bought 60% off coats - rain jacket for me, and packable winter puffy jacket for the DH - that we wouldn't have purchased otherwise.

We did express sympathy for the employees losing their jobs. :O(

I stopped at the outlet today hoping the down throws were still $39, but they had bumped the price up to 40% off the original price of $129. I did find a red parka for $56, so that was a score.

I’m with Anita, I mourn another source for tall women to buy clothes with long enough sleeves or long inseams on pants going out of business. It was also a good source for pants for my tall husband, although it is generally easier to find clothes for men with inseam options.

My husband and I have a lot of EB clothing and other items. The sales people in our local store recognize me. I’m sorry that they are losing their jobs and I’m sad that their merchandise will be more difficult and potentially more expensive to obtain. I have always found their clothing and other items to be of high quality.

I have many items from Eddie Bauer and have bought clothing including outerwear and luggage/backpacks/rolling duffels from them since the 1990's. My husband is tall and often bought their clothing as well. The physical stores in Tucson, where I live, closed down well over a decade ago, so we always sought out their stores when we travel within the U.S. We used to get free shipping consistently from their website, so buying online from them was the way we usually purchased their products. While I felt that they were overpriced on many items, the quality was good and often worth the extra cost. I will miss them.

Typical corporate progression. Eddie Bauer was sold to another corporation (don’t know the name) quite a few years ago. Then, the changes. Higher prices. Change in merchandise, etc.. Now, a downward trend. Once the original corporation sells-out, there is usually a push for profits and a loss of dedication to quality, focus, and prices.

Eagle Creek is still around, but it’s not the same after it was sold and bought-out. I have lost interest in many of their “new” products and as a company as a whole.

Let’s see what happens to Tom Bihn. It was recently sold-out.

This happens in the clothing industry a lot, as well. Remember Liz Claiborne? Same story.

Let’s see what happens to Tom Bihn. It was recently sold-out.

It's been five years since Tom Bihn retired and sold his company. I admit I was skeptical at the beginning, but by every indication, it looks like it's doing well. Also, most of their business is online although I believe they have a storefront at their factory.

This happens in the clothing industry a lot, as well. Remember Liz Claiborne? Same story.

Yes same with Lands' End

LandsEnd still exists.
I shop there frequently and haven't seen a decline. Whatever might be happening behind the scenes, it doesn't seem similar to Eddie Bauer.

An Eddie Bauer jacket was always a good identifier of an American in London for me. I think I joked about it once on here. I don't think they've ever been widely available in The UK.

LIZinPA, i was buying clothes and other things (even luggage) from Lands' End almost exclusively since the early '80s. I noticed a decline in quality soon after they were bought out by Sears in 2002. Since then the few things I have bought from them (including repeats from before) have a noticeable difference in selection, fit and finish (e.g., pilling sweaters). I understand they are trying to reposition themselves to stay competitive. Thats why I mentioned them. If someone buys the Eddie Bauer name, I would expect the same.

Is TOM BIHN owned by private equity?
TOM BIHN is not owned by private equity. 4 years ago, the company was acquired by local investors, including our CEO, Cindy. There are no private equity firms or venture capital firms involved. Our owners are committed to a long-term vision for preserving and growing TOM BIHN, with consideration for our products, employees, and community.
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/fall-2025-factory-update-faqs

Let’s see what happens to Tom Bihn.

They are having some of the work done overseas now.

https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/inside-the-factory-fall-2025-update?srsltid=AfmBOoqKCM3X1rpRunbzg1i1LDC5ukj-TsU04i7vdQzMk483AlySvULp

My favorite cotton long sleeve t shirt is from Eddie Bauer and it's 5 years old. Their clothes last a long time and are classic styles. But I have gone over to technical fabrics. That maybe one of their problems since they aren't chasing the latest styles or technical wear markets. I'm sad to hear they are declaring bankruptcy but maybe Land's End will buy them.

@GerryM,
I may as well be immediately identified as an American in London and quickly get over it. All I have to do is dress the way I do here in Florida and talk. I can be easily spotted in places like NYC and Washington D.C. for the same reasons. I should bring along some of my born-in-the-south friends. Phrases like “Hey, y’all” and “bless your heart” and “ you bet your dog-gone skippy” and “fix-in’ to ....”.

I was born and raised in the North. But, southern living has a way of working through a long-time resident. Maybe I should just wear a bright Disney jacket in London and accept my fate.

Ah I was just saying that as someone who often walks around looking to see if anyone has a cool jacket on, it was an observation I'd made. Eddie Bauer hasn't had any presence in the big retailers or sold their jackets in big numbers at all over here, yet they are very popular in the US. I think if you're wearing an outdoorsy jacket around town in the UK, North Face dominates and has made its way into popular culture in the last decade or more.

I'll repeat what I wrote earlier.....Eddie Bauer is not going out of business. Only the retail stores in the US and Canada are. The online business is still operational.

Yes, the online business at EddieBauer dot com is still operational but it is not nearly the same as it was a month ago before they filed for bankruptcy again. They no longer carry any gear whatsoever on their website, and they carry a reduced amount of clothing. Amazon has an Eddie Bauer storefront which does carry a lot of the travel gear and clothing, however.

Its possible that Eddie Bauer is shifting to Amazon fulfillment. Wherever you buy its products, it will be handled by Amazon. I'm not sure if this is the case or if Amazon has more current stock.

GerryM,
I got ya! Years ago, I bought my daughter a regatta brand rain coat in Scotland. We don’t have regatta brand in USA that I have seen anywhere. Some companies are gigantic now and truly global. Some brands appeal to specific client bases or generations. While there has always been global trade since people could walk and carry stuff, the world is getting much more blended now. Modern technologies, food, clothes, etc. are becoming common internationally.

Only the retail stores in the US and Canada are. The online business
is still operational.

That's what I'm reading too, Frank. Reportedly their online and wholesale biz operate under a separate company: Outdoor 5, LLC. This news piece announces an upcoming spring line of outdoor clothing by that licenser.
https://licensinginternational.org/news/outdoor-5-readies-new-eddie-bauer-collection/

As well, this article states that their stores outside US and Canada will remain operational.
https://abc7news.com/post/retail-operator-outdoor-sportswear-pioneer-eddie-bauer-files-bankruptcy/18575429/

Years ago, I bought my daughter a regatta brand rain coat in Scotland

They are a British company, with some very affordable outdoor gear. Worth looking out for in stores in the UK when visiting.

https://www.regatta.com/

I wish I would have bought more of my favorite pants because they fell off the online store about the same time the store closures were announced:(