Eastbay closing

Eastbay closing by the end of the year

News about Eastbay closing is spreading fast after the company announced it on its website recently.

The company announced it would be closing by the end of the year on a frequently asked questions page on its website about the closure.

According to the notice:We’re saying goodbye to Eastbay at the end of December 2022. We encourage you to shop at champssports.com to find great deals for your athletic shoes, clothing, and more.

How that will impact jobs is yet unknown. Though Eastbay sent a WARN notice to the state earlier this year announcing that the Eastbay distribution facility would be closing, it said nothing about the facility as a whole. The company expected to lay off more than 200 with the closure.

Eastbay closing

Eastbay closing

The news came suddenly but many believed it was likely inevitable. The company prior to the pandemic had sent a number of jobs to Florida. Competitors such as Game One have been hiring many of the remaining Eastbay company’s talent.

The noticed about shutting down the facility seem to confirm the company’s departure from Wausau.

Art Juedes and Rick Gering founded Eastbay in Wausau. Many considered the company a Wausau homegrown success.

The announcement comes as many major companies are announcing layoffs. Doordash, Meta (Facebook) and Amazon are some of the few to announce percentages of employees laid off.

Shock across the industry

The news of Eastbay closing was reported on by a number of outfits, including Sports Illustrated. The company at its peak employed as many as 2,000 people. It became a part of Foot Locker in 1997.

Sports Illustrated called the company “iconic” and said its catalogue was beloved by sports fans around the country.