Eddie Bauer Retail Operator Files Chapter 11, Seeks Buyer for 180 Stores
Eddie Bauer LLC filed for Chapter 11 on Feb. 9, 2026, and will begin liquidation sales at about 180 U.S. and Canadian stores while seeking a buyer.
Overview
Eddie Bauer LLC filed for Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on Feb. 9, 2026, and launched liquidation sales at roughly 180 stores in the U.S. and Canada while pursuing a court-supervised sale process, according to court filings.
The filing follows years of declining sales and supply-chain challenges, which the company said were worsened by inflation and tariff uncertainty under the Trump administration, Marc Rosen, CEO of Catalyst Brands, said in a statement.
Authentic Brands Group will retain ownership of Eddie Bauer intellectual property and may relicense the brand, while Catalyst Brands said other portfolio operations will continue in the ordinary course, officials confirmed.
Eddie Bauer LLC listed roughly $1.7 billion in debt in its court filings and operates the brand's U.S. and Canadian retail stores, while e-commerce and wholesale operations will transition to Outdoor 5 LLC, the filing shows.
Eddie Bauer aims to get court approval for a potential sale by March 12, 2026, and warned that stores could close if a buyer is not found, a spokesman told reporters, with stores staying open during the sale process.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Eddie Bauer as a once‑respected but declining retailer by layered editorial choices: evaluative language ("storied‑but‑now‑tired"), a chronology that contrasts past achievements with present struggles, curated sourcing that highlights a company statement and an analyst critique of relevance, and links to wider retail bankruptcies to emphasize systemic decline.
Sources (7)
FAQ
Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows a company to reorganize its debts while continuing operations, often used to seek buyers or restructure, as Eddie Bauer LLC is doing with liquidation sales and a court-supervised sale process.
The filing is due to years of declining sales, supply-chain challenges, inflation, and tariff uncertainty, resulting in $1.7 billion in debt.
Liquidation sales have begun at about 180 U.S. and Canadian stores, which will remain open while seeking a buyer; stores could close if no buyer is found by March 12, 2026.
Authentic Brands Group owns the intellectual property and may relicense it; e-commerce and wholesale transition to Outdoor 5 LLC, while stores outside U.S./Canada and other Catalyst Brands continue unaffected.
Yes, Eddie Bauer previously filed for Chapter 11 in 2009, acquired by Golden Gate Capital, and in 2021 Authentic Brands Group acquired its IP and core business.
History
4 sources