Eddie Bauer Stores Files for Bankruptcy

The operator of Eddie Bauer’s stores in the United States and Canada filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, blaming declining sales and supply chain issues.

The bankruptcy reorganization will not impact Eddie Bauer’s manufacturing, wholesale, or e-commerce operations, as well as its retail operations outside of the U.S. and Canada. Eddie Bauer has about 200 stores worldwide, of which about 180 are located in the U.S. and Canada. The Seattle, WA-based brand, established in 1920, has filed for bankruptcy twice before, in 2003 and 2009.

The company said changes in consumer preferences, stubborn inflation, and higher tariffs decreased margins and earnings.

Eddie Bauer opened his first store in Seattle in 1920. Bauer began manufacturing down jackets after suffering hypothermia during a 1923 winter fishing trip in Washington. The single store expanded into mail order and retail operations. 

The brand’s technical apparel and sleeping bags were standard equipment for the United States Army Air Corps in World War II.

When James W. Whittaker became the first American to climb Mount Everest in 1963, he was outfitted in an Eddie Bauer parka. By 2002, the company had about 500 clothing stores in the U.S., Germany and Japan.