Eddie Bauer will close all of its retail locations across North America as parent company Catalyst Brands moves toward a bankruptcy filing.
The closure will impact approximately 180 stores operating in the United States and Canada.
Catalyst Brands, which acquired Eddie Bauer in recent years, maintains ownership of several other major retail chains.
The company’s portfolio includes JCPenney, Lucky Brand, Aéropostale, Nautica and Brooks Brothers.
Despite the anticipated bankruptcy filing, company representatives have indicated that the other retail brands under the Catalyst Brands umbrella will continue operations.
The filing appears to specifically affect Eddie Bauer’s retail presence.
The outdoor apparel retailer has been in business for over a century, establishing itself as a destination for outdoor gear and clothing. The company built its reputation on quality outdoor wear and expedition equipment.
The closure announcement has sparked renewed discussion about Eddie Bauer’s corporate initiatives from recent years.
In 2020, the company launched a program called All Outside, which focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in outdoor recreation.
Kristen Elliot, Eddie Bauer’s vice president of Marketing, previously explained the company’s approach to Outside Online.
“The concept of guiding has been a long-running one with our brand,” Elliot said.
“Over the years, we’ve talked about the definition of ‘guide.’ If Eddie Bauer can be the guide brand, then how many ways can we define who guides people toward outdoor experience?”
“For this program, we looked for people who are actively breaking down barriers, people providing opportunities for underrepresented groups, and leaders who can have a deep relationship with our brand.”
The following year, Eddie Bauer published content on its website offering guidance on community building.
The 2021 webpage provided suggestions for improving personal happiness through inclusive community engagement and encouraged customers to seek out diverse communities.
The bankruptcy and closure have attracted attention from conservative commentators who track corporate diversity initiatives.
Robby Starbuck, an activist who regularly documents DEI programs within major corporations, connected the company’s financial troubles to its recent corporate direction.
Starbuck posted his assessment on X. “Eddie Bauer went all in on wokeness and DEI under their former President Damien Huang,” he wrote.
“He even gave an interview to virtue signal that he reads Ibram Kendi. Just a few years later, now they’re broke and closing all their stores. Another brand killed by the rise of wokeness.”
Back in January 2025, McDonald’s abandoned several DEI initiatives following scrutiny from Starbuck.
The fast-food corporation said it would eliminate diversity “goals” in their hiring process, which Starbuck claimed “often operate as quotas that discriminate against white job applicants.”
In 2024, Starbuck revealed that brewing giant Molson Coors had sent him a letter outlining changes to their corporate policies.
The stated goal was to ensure all “employees know they are welcome,” suggesting a move towards a more inclusive approach that doesn’t single out specific groups.
