Eddie Bauer LLC, the store operator of an American fashion brand known for outdoor apparel such as its quilted down jacket, is closing nearly all of its U.S. brick-and-mortar operations and shifting operations online.
The Seattle-based company on March 4 canceled a bankruptcy auction for its 174 brick-and-mortar stores, saying it had not received any offers for the retail business by Tuesday’s bid deadline. Among them are five stores in New Jersey.
Eddie Bauer LLC sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection hoping to find a buyer willing to acquire most or all of its retail stores. A bankruptcy auction had been scheduled for March 6.
Like many brick-and-mortar retailers, retail chain was burdened by supply-chain issues following the COVID-19 pandemic, soaring inflation after the pandemic and diminished discretionary spending on outdoor apparel.
The store operator for the iconic American brand had already begun store-closing sales when it filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey on Feb. 9 with about $1.7 billion in debt. The bankruptcy includes only assets related to Eddie Bauer-branded retail stores, and it will not affect Eddie Bauer’s online sales, apparel manufacturing or wholesale sales businesses, which are owned and operated separately from the Eddie Bauer-branded retail stores.
In 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection and was eventually bought by Golden Gate Capital. Eddie Bauer was sold to Authentic Brands in 2021. Catalyst Brands purchased the company in 2025.
Customers with unused Eddie Bauer gift cards are advised to use them soon because the retailer will no longer honor them starting March 12, according to Bloomberg Canada.
Following the cancellation of Eddie Bauer LLC’s planned auction after no bids were received, the retailer’s store footprint is now hitting the market as part of the Chapter 11 proceedings.
RCS Real Estate Advisors, which is managing Eddie Bauer’s real estate matters during the bankruptcy, is currently marketing 174 store leases in 40 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces, including five in New Jersey.
Most locations range from 2,500 to 15,000 square feet and are located in established malls, lifestyle centers and outlet destinations, creating opportunities for retailers looking for turnkey second-generation space in high-traffic centers.
Here are the New Jersey locations:
| Store Name | City | Sq. Footage | Lease Exp Date | Total Rent | Total Rent PSF |
| Gloucester Premium Outlets | Blackwood | 5,000 | 3/31 | $209,754 | $41.95 |
| American Dream | East Rutherford | 3,677 | 1/31/2031 | $40,000 | $10.88 |
| Garden State Plaza | Paramus | 4,119 | 7/31/2026 | $623,570 | $151.39 |
| Rockaway Townsquare | Rockaway | 5,305 | 7/31/2027 | $280,375 | $52.85 |
| Jersey Shore Premium Outlets | Tinton Falls | 6,508 | 7/31/2028 | $542,004 | $83.28 |
