Eddie Bauer to close its North American stores

[mikechamp]

Eddie was no longer steady:

Eddie Bauer's nearly 200 stores in the US and Canada are expected to close after a failed sale effort

Shoppers will likely soon have to say goodbye to Eddie Bauer's retail stores across the US and Canada.

Nearly 200 North American storefronts of the iconic outdoor apparel chain are expected to shut down after the operating entity behind the stores failed to find a buyer during its Chapter 11 restructuring. Those store-closing sales are projected to wrap up before April 30, according to recent court filings in the company's bankruptcy case. The Eddie Bauer storefronts span 40 US states and six Canadian provinces, and employ roughly 2,200 people, the court documents say.

A planned March 6 auction for all or part of the North American store operating business was canceled after the company failed to receive any qualified bids, according to court papers filed earlier this month.

The bankruptcy does not affect Eddie Bauer's manufacturing, wholesale, or e-commerce operations, nor its retail business outside the US and Canada. Japan is home to several Eddie Bauer stores.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eddie-ba ... 56719.html

[sighyoung]

Eddie Bauer closed its one mall store in Louisville several years ago, and instead moved to an outlet mall outside of Louisville that sells clothing at higher-than-outlet prices.

I haven't bought Eddie Bauer clothes in several years. I used to get sweaters, jackets, and summer shirts from them: I loved L.L. Bean items, but its summerwear is just too heavy for a swampy summer climate like Louisville. I got one of the best merino sweaters I ever bought from Eddie Bauer.

However, the company shifted toward athletic leisure. It stopped carrying the kind of winter garments I would typically buy, and their summer shirts declined in quality, and became scratchier and less breathable. I can't think of anything I would buy from them now.

It seemed like the company moved toward a younger audience while not keeping up with its prior core business. I would look to Patagonia, REI, and L.L. Bean for items that I used to find at Eddie Bauer, and can also get at Lands' End.

[Popeye_Card]

I can't say that I ever shopped in a normal Eddie Bauer store. Only outlets over the years, and occasionally biting on a clearance sale deal online.

I have a few EB items that I like - some baselayers, some stretchable hiking pants, a ski parka, etc. But it will not be difficult to switch to competing brands.

[heyzeus]

I last bought an Eddie Bauer clothing item in the 90s when I wanted to look like I was in a grunge band. Basically, I'm the reason they went out of business.