Eddie Bauer Closing Over 170 Stores Amid Bankruptcy

The iconic outdoor apparel brand is shuttering a majority of its North American retail locations.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Less than a month after Eddie Bauer's store operator in North America and Canada filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company is now marketing 174 store leases across the region for closure. The storied brand, founded in Seattle in 1920 as a fishing shop, has struggled in recent years amid declining sales and industry headwinds, leading to this latest bankruptcy filing - the third in just over two decades.

Why it matters

The closure of over 170 Eddie Bauer stores represents a significant contraction for the once-dominant outdoor apparel brand, which at its peak in 2001 operated nearly 600 locations. This bankruptcy and store closure announcement is the latest sign of the ongoing challenges facing traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, especially those in the apparel sector, as they grapple with the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer shopping habits.

The details

Eddie Bauer, LLC announced in February that its retail operator had entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with its secured lenders as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, the company said it would begin winding down operations at certain locations, and now real estate advisory firm RCS Real Estate Advisors has been tasked with marketing 174 store leases across North America for closure. At its peak in 2001, Eddie Bauer operated nearly 600 stores, but the company has struggled in recent years, with only around 180 locations across the U.S. and Canada prior to this latest round of closures.

  • In February 2026, Eddie Bauer, LLC announced it would enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
  • On March 8, 2026, RCS Real Estate Advisors announced it is now marketing 174 Eddie Bauer store leases across North America for closure.

The players

Eddie Bauer, LLC

The retail operator of the Eddie Bauer brand in North America and Canada, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2026.

RCS Real Estate Advisors

The firm tasked with managing the real estate matters and marketing 174 Eddie Bauer store leases for closure as part of the company's bankruptcy proceedings.

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What’s next

It is unclear at this time which specific Eddie Bauer store locations will be closed as part of this bankruptcy process. The company and its advisors will likely continue to evaluate the viability of individual stores and make decisions on which leases to terminate in the coming weeks and months.

The takeaway

The closure of over 170 Eddie Bauer stores is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges facing traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, especially in the apparel sector, as they grapple with the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer shopping habits. This bankruptcy filing represents the third time in just over two decades that the once-iconic outdoor brand has had to restructure, underscoring the need for companies to continually adapt to evolving market conditions.