Keith Lusher 02.05.26
Out of doors attire retailer Eddie Bauer might be going through widespread retailer closures throughout america and Canada in 2026 as the corporate that operates its North American brick-and-mortar places prepares a Chapter 11 chapter submitting.
Sources conversant in the scenario say an entity of Catalyst Manufacturers, which runs Eddie Bauer’s roughly 180 to 200 shops within the area, is positioning the submitting as a option to shed pricey leases and cut back inventory-related liabilities. Most, if not all, of the model’s mall and outlet places might finally shut, although a small variety of higher-performing shops might survive if one other operator steps in.
The potential chapter doesn’t imply the Eddie Bauer model itself is disappearing. The corporate’s construction separates retailer operations from model possession and different enterprise segments. Eddie Bauer’s mental property is owned by Genuine Manufacturers Group, which licenses the identify to totally different operators. That setup permits the retail operator to restructure or fail whereas the model continues by different channels.
Eddie Bauer’s manufacturing, wholesale, and e-commerce operations in North America will not be anticipated to be affected by the shop operator’s Chapter 11 submitting. These licenses had been lately transferred from Catalyst to Out of doors 5, which now oversees on-line and wholesale gross sales within the U.S. and Canada. Eddie Bauer additionally continues to function shops internationally, together with in Japan.
Retail analysts say the shop closures mirror broader pressures going through mid-market attire chains. Excessive fastened lease prices, stock danger tied to climate and trend tendencies, and declining mall visitors have made massive retailer fleets more and more troublesome to maintain. Shoppers are additionally splitting spending between low cost retailers and premium technical out of doors manufacturers, leaving legacy life-style labels caught within the center.
Eddie Bauer’s historical past provides context to the second. Based in Seattle in 1920, the corporate constructed its popularity on practical out of doors clothes and innovation, together with the primary patented quilted down jacket in america. The model has filed for chapter twice earlier than, in 2003 and 2009, earlier than being acquired in 2021 by Genuine Manufacturers Group in partnership with Simon Property Group by the Sparc three way partnership. Sparc later grew to become a part of Catalyst Manufacturers, which additionally operates retailers resembling JCPenney.
As Catalyst prepares its submitting, patrons are reportedly evaluating whether or not to amass a restricted variety of Eddie Bauer shops out of chapter. For buyers, probably the most rapid influence might be retailer closings and liquidation gross sales. For malls and outlet facilities, Eddie Bauer’s potential exit would mark one other signal that apparel-heavy retail footprints proceed to shrink in 2026.
The ultimate final result will probably hinge on whether or not sufficient landlords and patrons are prepared to help a smaller, extra selective retailer community or whether or not Eddie Bauer’s future in North America shifts virtually completely on-line.
