Ronald Friedman, Co-Leader, Retail/Consumer Products Industry Group, Quoted in Fortune Article "Does Eddie Bauer's Path to Growth Lead Through Urban Areas?"

Outerwear and apparel maker says it sees a clear path to open an additional 200 locations.

Excerpt:

Eddie Bauer’s outwear is meant for active enthusiasts to pursue the great, open outdoors. But the company’s future growth may rest on the shoulders of urban dwellers.

The outerwear and apparel maker, with about 300 stores in North America today, says it sees a clear path to open an additional 200 locations. That expansion can be partly fueled by new locations in major cities where it doesn’t currently have a presence, including New York City and Los Angeles.

Eddie Bauer recently opened a Manhattan store — a fairly small pop-up location that the retailer intends to fully renovate next year. It will be the brand’s first location in the city since 2007.

“They can’t just be cold weather gear,” said Ron Friedman, a retail consultant for accounting and advisory firm Marcum LLP. “That’s only good for six to eight months maximum. Diversification of products should be important to them.”