CALIFORNIA – Outdoor apparel retailer Eddie Bauer is preparing to close all of its 174 physical stores after more than a century in business.
Court documents show the company reported more than $1 billion in debt, citing declining sales, supply-chain disruptions, inflation, and tariff uncertainty.
The closures will affect 13 locations across California, including stores in Alpine, Anderson, Corte Madera, Folsom, Fresno, Gilroy, Milpitas, Petaluma, Roseville, San Clemente, Tulare, Vacaville, and Woodland Hills.
Store closures across the United States and Canada follow the company’s failed effort to sell its retail portfolio during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
With no buyer secured, the company will continue liquidation sales at all brick-and-mortar locations unless a last-minute offer emerges.
Bankruptcy leads to store shutdowns by April 30
According to court filings, Eddie Bauer LLC canceled a planned auction of its remaining stores after receiving no qualified bids before the March 3 deadline. The auction had been scheduled for March 6.
The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 9, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.
If no buyer emerges, the company expects all U.S. and Canadian stores to close by April 30, 2026.
Eddie Bauer brand will continue
Customers still visiting Eddie Bauer stores should be aware of several changes during the liquidation process:
- Gift cards: Accepted only in stores through March 12, 2026 and not redeemable online.
- Rewards points: Must also be used by March 12.
- Returns and exchanges: Stores are no longer accepting them, and all sales are final.
Despite the store closures, the Eddie Bauer brand itself will continue to exist.
The brand’s intellectual property is owned by Authentic Brands Group, which can continue licensing the brand to other retailers or operators.
