PEORIA – The Eddie Bauer store at the Grand Prairie Mall has closed.
A “Store Closed” sign hangs in the window, with only the faint shadow of the brand’s name remaining above it.
Grand Prairie Mall management did not respond to multiple phone calls or emails from The Star regarding future plans for the space.
The fate of the company’s remaining stores is currently up in the air. Earlier this month, Eddie Bauer LLC filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and entered into a restructuring support agreement with secured lenders.
A press release about the development said the company plans to “conduct liquidation sales at its stores while continuing the ongoing sales process.” Stores in the U.S. and Canada will continue to operate for now, and the company said it may “no longer cease operations across the board” if there is a sale.
Catalyst Brands CEO Marc Rosen said the company faces supply chain issues, declining sales and other challenges.
“These challenges have been compounded by a variety of headwinds over the past year, including increased operating costs due to inflation, continued tariff uncertainty and other factors,” Rosen said. “While Catalyst’s leadership team was able to make significant progress with the brand, including rapid improvements in product development and marketing, these changes were not implemented quickly enough to fully address the challenges posed by several years.”
Online operations and wholesale will continue as it is handled by a separate limited liability company, the release said. Stores outside the United States and Canada are also operated separately.
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This article originally appeared in the Journal Star: Clothing brand closes Peoria store, fate of other locations uncertain
