Eddie Bauer operator files for bankruptcy and is liquidating stores

Over 60 years ago, the first American to climb Mount Everest sported an Eddie Bauer coat. Now the company behind the outdoor apparel finds itself conducting liquidation sales.

The operator of Eddie Bauer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on Monday and is winding down stores as it seeks a buyer.

Eddie Bauer is laying off some 58 employees in New Jersey at locations in Burlington, Gloucester, Middlesex, Monmouth Counties, according to a layoff notice filed with the state.

“In an effort to rightsize the company’s store footprint and close underperforming stores, the company will be closing a number of retail locations in N.J.,” reads the notice.

In Pennsylvania, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Labor and Industry said they had not received a layoff notice for Eddie Bauer stores as of Tuesday morning.

Before filing for bankruptcy, the company chose not to renew leases for 49 stores that had leases ending on Jan. 31. Those locations have since closed, bankruptcy documents indicate.

The company is liquidating the remaining 175 stores as it seeks out a buyer.

In the Philadelphia area, Eddie Bauer stores are located at the Gloucester Premium Outlets in Camden County, at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Montgomery County, as well as in Concordville in Delaware County.

As of Tuesday, the Fashion District location in Center City appears to be closed, according to the Eddie Bauer website.

Eddie Bauer stores have been operated by Catalyst Brands, which was formed in January 2025 in a merger that brought together brands including Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, and JCPenney.

The CEO of Catalyst Brands, Marc Rosen, said in a news release Monday that the Eddie Bauer operator had been in a “challenged situation,” even before the new parent company was formed last year. The company was dealing with declining sales and supply chain challenges amid other issues, he said.

“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,” Rosen said. “While the leadership team at Catalyst was able to make significant strides in the brand, including rapid improvements in product development and marketing, those changes could not be implemented fast enough to fully address the challenges created over several years.”

Other retailers have also faced headwinds recently. The parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy in January, and shopping mall mainstay Claire’s, did so in August.

Pennsylvania:

New Jersey