Eddie Bauer LLC is an American outdoor recreation brand headquartered in New York City, NY. Eddie Bauer sells its merchandise online. The company also licenses the Eddie Bauer brand name and logo for various products sold through other companies including eyewear, furniture, bicycles, and, until the 2010 model year, upper level versions of the Ford Motor Company's Bronco, Explorer, Expedition and Excursion SUVs.
The company was established in 1920 in Seattle by Pacific Northwest outdoorsman Eddie Bauer (1899–1986). In 1940, Bauer patented the first quilted down jacket. Bauer retired and sold the company to his partner in 1968. General Mills bought the company in 1971 and Spiegel acquired it from General Mills in 1988. In 2003, Spiegel filed bankruptcy and in May 2005, it emerged from bankruptcy under the name "Eddie Bauer Holdings, Inc.". On June 17, 2009, Eddie Bauer filed bankruptcy and was acquired by Golden Gate Capital the following month. In 2021, it was acquired by Authentic Brands Group and SPARC Group LLC.
On February 9, 2026, Eddie Bauer LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[1] and announced that all of its stores in North America would close their doors.
History
1920–1949: Eddie Bauer's Sport Shop
In 1920, at the age of 21, Eddie Bauer, established his first store in downtown Seattle, "Eddie Bauer's Tennis Shop", in the back of a local hunting and fishing store. He first specialized in building and repairing tennis rackets and the shop was only open during the tennis season; Bauer spent the rest of the year pursuing his own sportsman activities. Bauer expanded his line of merchandise to include his own hand-made golf clubs and fishing tackle and he changed the name of his store to "Eddie Bauer's Sport Shop". Bauer developed and patented a standardized shuttlecock in 1934.[2] The Bauer Shuttlecock popularized badminton in the United States. While operating this first store, Bauer developed his creed, "To give you such outstanding quality, value, service and guarantee that we may be worthy of your high esteem", still used by the modern company.[3][4]
The Skyliner
Legal issues
Dismissed lawsuit over deceptive promotions
In July 2020, Jackie Fisher, an Eddie Bauer client, dismissed a lawsuit in which he claimed the company fooled outlet consumers with fake promotions and made-up comparison prices. Fisher said he had purchased jackets on sale because the advertising made it appear that he was getting a great deal.[57]
Joint ventures
Japan
Eddie Bauer Japan, Inc., a joint venture between Eddie Bauer, Inc. and Otto-Japan, Inc., a subsidiary of the Otto Versand, was formed in 1994 to operate stores and mail order in Japan. The company opened its first store in September 1994 in Tokyo.[58] In October 2021, the company announced the closure all of its operations in Japan by December of 2021.[59]
Germany
In June 1995, Eddie Bauer Germany was announced as a joint venture between Eddie Bauer Inc. and two members of Otto Versand (now Otto GmbH): Heinrich Heine GmbH (Heine Group) and Sport Scheck to operate stores and mail order in Germany.[60] In March 2008, the company transferred its interest in the joint venture.[61]
Supplier of clothing in expeditions
Eddie Bauer supplied clothing for several notable mountain expeditions:
"Every member of the American Mt. Everest Expedition 1963 was outfitted from head to toe with Eddie BAUER 100% northern goose down insulated parkas, pants, underwear, mitts, booties and sleeping bags."
"When I went climbing with Robert [Kennedy], I picked him up at the airport, took a look at his Abercrombie & Fitch yellow jackets and said, this won’t do ... With Eddie Bauer, there will be no kid left inside!"
"Our existence in these mountains is one long struggle to stay warm. Everyone agrees that it would be impossible to survive, let alone climb, without our superb Bauer down equipment, which protects us 24 hours a day. My Bauer down jacket is my happiness and security blanket-when I am not wearing it, it is never more than an arm's length away. A large share of the credit for the success of this expedition can be attributed to our Bauer equipment, which is the finest we have ever seen."
- The 1953 American Karakoram expedition was the fifth attempt since 1909 to climb K2. Team member Art Gilkey died in an apparent avalanche during the team's descent. His body was lost until 1993 when it emerged from the glacier about a mile from the base camp. Gilkey was still wearing his red Eddie Bauer down parka, an item that was standard issue for the members of the expedition.[62]
External links
References
- Laura Chung. Operator of Eddie Bauer Stores Files for Bankruptcy The New York Times, 2026-02-10, retrieved 2026-02-10^
- US2025325A: Shuttle cock^
- James R. Warren. Bauer, Eddie (1899-1986) HistoryLink.org, September 16, 1999^