Clothing retailer with a long history is closing stores, including Triangle spot
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Catalyst Brands filed Chapter 11 for Eddie Bauer; U.S. Eddie Bauer stores will liquidate.
- Triangle Eddie Bauer in Smithfield in final liquidation; expected closed by Apr 30.
- Company cites declining sales, supply chain issues, inflation and tariff uncertainty.
The operator of a national clothing retailer has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and its brick-and-mortar stores in North Carolina are shutting down as a result.
Eddie Bauer, which began as an outdoor clothing and gear shop in 1920, is liquidating its retail stores in the United States, following “a failed attempt to secure a buyer for the retail division earlier this month,” a customer service representative for the company told The News & Observer in an email.
Eddie Bauer is operated by Catalyst Brands, which also operates Brooks Brothers, JC Penney, Aeropostale, Lucky Brand and Nautica. The other brands were not affected by the Eddie Bauer bankruptcy, according to a news release from Eddie Bauer.
Triangle clothing store closes amid bankruptcy
There is one Eddie Bauer store in the Triangle — at Carolina Premium Outlets in Smithfield. This location, at 1025 Outlet Center Drive Suite 1239, is in its final liquidation phase, the customer service representative told The N&O.
It may be open for a few more weeks to clear remaining inventory, but it and all other physical stores are expected to be “permanently shuttered” by Thursday, April 30, the customer service representative told The N&O.
Eddie Bauer has North Carolina brick-and-mortar locations in Asheville, Charlotte, Concord, Nags Head and Winston-Salem, the brand’s website shows.
The company previously had Triangle stores at Crabtree Valley Mall and at the bygone Cary Towne Center. Eddie Bauer’s location in Raleigh closed in 2015.
National chains closing NC stores
In the bankruptcy filing announcement, Catalyst Brands CEO Marc Rosen said Eddie Bauer’s challenges with declining sales and the supply chain “have been exacerbated by various headwinds, including increased costs of doing business due to inflation, ongoing tariff uncertainty, and other factors.”
Eddie Bauer is the latest retailer to face financial challenges and file for bankruptcy protection in recent years.
Forever 21 and Joann have both closed all of their stores. Big Lots, which also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, opened some stores under a new operator, North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers.
More recently, Saks Global announced it was closing Saks Fifth Avenue locations across the United States amid bankruptcy. Raleigh’s Saks Fifth Avenue, located at Triangle Town Center, is among the stores shutting down as Saks Global looks to complete a “strategic optimization.”
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 2:29 PM.
