Eddie Bauer Celebrates 90th Anniversary
Posted on February 25, 2010
Outdoor retailer Eddie Bauer is celebrating its 90th anniversary. When Mr. Bauer first opened for business in 1920, his "Eddie Bauer's Tennis Shop" was renting space in a gun shop in downtown Seattle. He had his own storefront within a year and quickly became renowned as an outfitter and innovator. Mr. Bauer built his business serving hunters and fishermen of the Pacific Northwest, but he also went on to become America's premier expedition outfitter.
Today, Eddie Bauer has about 364 stores in the United States and Canada. It also runs a catalog and online businesses. The company continues to sell outdoor clothing, accessories and gear. Eddie Bauer launched its First Ascent brand of mountaineering gear in October 2009, signaling a return to the company's mountaineering roots as an expedition outfitter. Eddie Bauer did file for bankruptcy protection in 2009, but was purchased out of bankruptcy by Golden Gate Capital.
"For the past 90 years, the Eddie Bauer name has meant a lot of things to a lot of people across North America," said Neil Fiske, President and CEO of Eddie Bauer. "This year, we are happy to celebrate the rich history of the company and the man who not only brought quality, outdoors apparel and gear into people's homes and closets, but also outfitted some of the world's greatest adventurers."
Update: And ten years later here's Eddie Bauer celebrating 100 years of adventure.