Reflecting on the legacy of Eddie Bauer
The retail operator for Eddie Bauer’s North American stores has filed for bankruptcy.
Depending on how things turn out, the outdoor gear brand could see the closure of nearly 200 stores across the United States and Canada. The Seattle Times also reports that the company's store operator plans to close its headquarters in Seattle and lay off 60 workers.
This isn’t the first sign of trouble for the Seattle-based business, which faced bankruptcy proceedings in 2003 and 2009.
This latest filing won’t affect the company’s wholesale, manufacturing or online operations -- so it’s not like the brand’s going away completely.
But the news still feels pretty big….
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Because once upon a time, not too long ago, Eddie Bauer was a premiere spot for outdoor gear. It outfitted the first American to summit Mount Everest.
And there was a time when it was quite the fashion statement to walk into work with an Eddie Bauer puffer.
As the company faces an uncertain future, we decided to reflect on its legacy.
Guests:
- Clara Berg, a fashion historian and Curator of Collections at MOHAI.
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- Our Story – Eddie Bauer
- Eddie Bauer to close its Seattle headquarters, lay off 60 workers | The Seattle Times
- Eddie Bauer: From Outdoor Staple to Bankruptcy Watch - Business Insider
- Retail operator of Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy, will keep stores open during restructuring | AP News
- Eddie Bauer store operator files for bankruptcy, seeks sale | Reuters
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Maleeha Syed
Producer, Soundside
Maleeha is a producer on Soundside, a show that helps listeners get to know the PNW and each other. Before KUOW, she worked at Cascade PBS, first as a communities reporter and then as a podcast producer on shows like Northwest Reports and Your Last Meal. Before moving to Seattle, she worked as a reporter at the Burlington Free Press in Vermont, but is originally from San Antonio.
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Sarah Leibovitz
Supervising Producer, Soundside
Sarah joined KUOW in 2019 as senior producer on The Record. She is now Supervising KUOW’s new noon time show, Soundside. Prior to working at KUOW, Sarah was lead producer at the Seattle podcast production company Larj Media, and a teaching artist with Path with Art.
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