**Eddie Bauer Expected to Close All North American Stores Following Bankruptcy Filing**
Seattle-based outdoor clothing brand Eddie Bauer is reportedly planning to close all of its retail stores in North America after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This includes 11 store locations in the state of Washington.
The bankruptcy filing is being pursued by Catalyst Brands, the company that holds the licensing rights to operate Eddie Bauer’s brick-and-mortar retail locations. According to a recent report by financial data firm Octus, the decision could affect all 180 Eddie Bauer stores across the U.S. and Canada.
Eddie Bauer’s brand and intellectual property are owned by Authentic Brands Group. While final decisions are still pending, sources indicate that the bankruptcy is unlikely to affect the brand’s retail operations outside of North America. Furthermore, Eddie Bauer’s manufacturing, wholesale, and online businesses have either already been transitioned or are in the process of being transferred from Catalyst to Outdoor 5, LLC (also known as Oved), which also manages other brands including Aéropostale, Lucky Brand, Nautica, and JCPenney.
