Eddie Bauer Retail Operator Files for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Seattle, Tuesday, 10 February 2026.
On February 9, 2026, the operator of Eddie Bauer’s retail footprint in North America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing “ongoing tariff uncertainty” and declining sales as pivotal factors. This marks the third bankruptcy for the 106-year-old heritage brand, though this filing is distinct as it isolates the brick-and-mortar operations; the brand’s e-commerce and wholesale divisions, managed separately by Authentic Brands Group, remain unaffected. The operating entity, a division of Catalyst Brands, is attempting to restructure debt and locate a buyer for roughly 180 stores across the United States and Canada. Failure to secure a sale could result in a complete wind-down of physical locations, a move that highlights the widening divergence between digital resilience and physical retail vulnerability in the current economic climate.