Seattle, Washington-based Eddie Bauer, an iconic outdoor recreation brand, chain store, and online merchandiser of outdoor clothing, outerwear, and gear, has announced plans to permanently close its headquarters in Seattle, Washington, following a February 9, 2026, filing for bankruptcy protection.
The closure will impact 60 employees between April 2026 (45 employees) and June 2026 (1 employee).
According to the store’s parent company, Catalyst Brands, CEO Marc Rosen noted, “This is not an easy decision, and we are grateful to the Retail Company’s associates and customers for their loyalty and trust. We are working to minimize the impact on the Retail Company’s employees, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders.”
"Even prior to the inception of Catalyst Brands last year, the Retail Company was in a challenging situation, with declining sales, supply chain challenges, and other issues. Over the past year, these challenges have been exacerbated by various headwinds, including increased costs of doing business due to inflation, ongoing tariff uncertainty, and other factors.”
Domestic stores will remain open as liquidation sales are arranged.
Locations outside the United States and Canada, along with Eddie Bauer’s e-commerce and wholesale arms, aren’t impacted by the bankruptcy because they’re operated by other licensees. Authentic Brands Group, a brand management company in New York City, owns Eddie Bauer’s intellectual property.
Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?
