Quick Facts
- Eddie Bauer canceled its bankruptcy auction on March 6, 2026 after receiving no qualified bids for its 175 stores
- All brick-and-mortar locations will close by April 30, 2026, ending the company’s 106-year physical retail presence in North America
- The company lost $82 million in 2024 and $80 million in 2025, with stores accounting for 42% of total sales
Eddie Bauer will close all 175 of its North American stores after failing to find a buyer in bankruptcy court. The outdoor retailer canceled its auction scheduled for March 6, 2026 after receiving no qualified bids.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 9, 2026 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey. This marks Eddie Bauer’s third bankruptcy filing, following previous cases in 2003 and 2009.
Store-closing sales will continue at all locations, with closures expected by April 30, 2026. The company employs about 2,200 people across 40 states and Canada.
One bid from Colin Anten was submitted on February 27 but deemed insufficient. Court documents stated Anten’s proposal “fails to demonstrate the financial wherewithal necessary to consummate the contemplated transaction and contains numerous material factual and legal deficiencies.”
Eddie Bauer’s financial struggles deepened in recent years. The company lost $2 million in 2022, $10 million in 2023, $82 million in 2024, and $80 million in 2025. The retailer carries more than $1.5 billion in unpaid principal and shows a shortfall of $215 million.
“Even prior to the inception of Catalyst Brands last year, [Eddie Bauer] was in a challenged situation, with declining sales, supply chain challenges and other issues,” said Mark Rosen, CEO of Catalyst Brands, which oversees Eddie Bauer’s retail operations.
The company operated nearly 600 stores at its 2001 peak before declining to 175 locations by February 2026. Stores accounted for 42% of the company’s sales, which totaled about $440 million in fiscal 2025.
The bankruptcy will not affect Eddie Bauer’s manufacturing, wholesale, e-commerce operations or retail operations outside the U.S. and Canada. The company’s e-commerce business was transferred to Outdoor 5 LLC earlier this month and is not part of the Chapter 11 filing.
Authentic Brands Group owns the Eddie Bauer brand and intellectual property worldwide. The closures mark the end of a 106-year retail presence for the Seattle-founded company that patented the first quilted down jacket in 1940.
Customers with unused gift cards must use them by March 12, as Eddie Bauer will no longer honor them after that date.
Read more: All Eddie Bauer stores to close after failure to find a buyer
