Is Eastern Mountain Sports Going Out of Business? Full Update In 2026

Is Eastern Mountain Sports going out of business? Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) is mostly going out of business, but a few stores are still open.The company started in 1967 and was popular in the U.S. for outdoor gear like camping, hiking, climbing, and skiing equipment. In June 2024, its parent company filed for bankruptcy again (for the third time), which led to most stores closing.However, a small number of locations were saved and are still operating. Here is the full story: Is Appleseeds Going Out of Business? 

Eastern Mountain Sports Timeline: Key Milestones

Here are five events that defined EMS from its founding to its current reduced state:

What Happened in the 2024 Bankruptcy?

I looked at court records and news reports to understand what happened in 2024. The company running Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores had about $37 million worth of inventory and around 800 employees when it filed for bankruptcy in June 2024.One big reason for the problem was its debt. The company owed about $29 million to PNC Bank through loans and credit. This debt became too much to handle, which led to the financial collapse.

Which Eastern Mountain Sports Stores Closed?

The store closures didn’t happen all at once—they happened in stages during 2024, and a lot of stores were affected.On July 1, 2024, Bob’s Stores announced big closing sales at all locations, offering 30% to 70% discounts before shutting down by July 14.At the same time, Eastern Mountain Sports closed 14 stores across seven states, including places like Peterborough and the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester. This greatly reduced their presence, especially in the Northeast region.

Which Eastern Mountain Sports Stores Are Still Open?

This is the part most people miss when they search for this topic. Not every EMS location closed. All seven core Eastern Mountain Sports stores were secured to remain open. The seven doors are located in Hadley, Massachusetts; Burlington, Vermont; Lake Placid, New York; West Lebanon, New Hampshire; Saratoga Springs, New York; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and one additional location. These were the only stores considered profitable enough to keep running. Everything else was liquidated. So EMS still technically exists, but as a much smaller version of what it once was. 

Who Saved Eastern Mountain Sports From Full Shutdown?

The company was very close to shutting down completely, but it was saved at the last moment. A UK company called Mountain Warehouse stepped in and made an offer to buy some parts of the business.They agreed to pay at least $5 million for the brand name and other assets, and with additional inventory costs, the total deal could reach around $8 million.Mountain Warehouse explained that EMS went bankrupt mainly because of heavy debt after being bought by GoDigitalMedia. Still, they saw potential in the brand when others didn’t, which helped save some of the remaining stores.

Why Did Eastern Mountain Sports Struggle So Many Times?

Going bankrupt three times in about 12 years is not just bad luck—it shows a clear pattern. Each time EMS was bought by a new owner, the company was loaded with heavy debt.In 2012, it was bought by Versa Capital, but then filed for bankruptcy in 2017. Later, Sports Direct bought the brand and sold it again to GoDigitalMedia in 2022.The problem is that each new owner focused more on money and deals instead of properly running and investing in the stores. Because of this, the stores and employees suffered every time.

Is Eastern Mountain Sports Going Out of Business? (full 2026 update)

No, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) is not going out of business in 2026. While it is true that the company faced a major crisis and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-2024 due to severe funding issues, it did not shut down completely. Instead, a well-known British outdoor retailer called Mountain Warehouse stepped in and bought EMS for $10 million later that year. While their sister brand (Bob’s Stores) closed down and many underperforming EMS locations were liquidated, Mountain Warehouse saved the core EMS brand, its website, and its most profitable stores. Moving through 2026, Eastern Mountain Sports is fully active, stable, and operating safely under this new ownership. 

What happened to Eastern Mountain Sports?

The downfall of Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) began in June 2024 when its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to a severe cash shortage after its primary bank froze its funding. This financial collapse forced the permanent closure of its sister brand, Bob’s Stores, alongside the liquidation of over 20 underperforming EMS storefronts and its main distribution center. However, the iconic outdoor brand was saved later that year when British retailer Mountain Warehouse acquired EMS for $10 million, taking over its digital website, intellectual property, and seven core brick-and-mortar locations. Instead of rebranding, the new owners chose to preserve the trusted EMS name, revitalized its e-commerce platform, and are currently using the brand to steadily expand their retail footprint across the United States. 

How Does EMS Compare to Other Outdoor Retailers in 2026?

The struggles at EMS are not unique. The entire outdoor retail sector is under serious pressure right now. Here is how some major names are doing in 2026:

Bob’s Stores, Next Adventure, and Moosejaw all shut down in 2025, while Eastern Mountain Sports closed many of its locations. EMS at least survived, even if barely.

What Is the Financial Situation of EMS in 2026?

After the bankruptcy process ended, things improved for the remaining EMS stores. Creditors voted on the plan by December 1, 2025, and the court reviewed it on December 10, 2025.The plan mainly focused on closing the failed stores. The seven stores that survived are now owned by Mountain Warehouse and are no longer carrying the old debt.This fresh start gives these remaining stores a much better chance to survive and grow in the future.

My Research About Eastern Mountain Sports

I have tracked the outdoor retail industry closely for years, and Eastern Mountain Sports is one of the most painful examples of a great brand destroyed by bad ownership decisions. In my research, I found that every bankruptcy was tied directly to overleveraged acquisitions, not to a lack of customer demand. For another tough business story worth reading, check out: Is MyPillow Going Out of Business? My years of studying retail bankruptcy patterns give me a clear view of what went wrong at EMS and why the seven surviving stores may actually hold on this time.

Final Remarks

Eastern Mountain Sports is mostly out of business. The bulk of its store network closed during and after the 2024 bankruptcy. However, seven core locations were saved by Mountain Warehouse and remain open in New England and New York as of 2026. The brand name, website, and intellectual property were purchased and preserved. Whether those seven stores grow back into something bigger depends entirely on how Mountain Warehouse manages the brand going forward. EMS locations were reduced and reorganized under new ownership agreements. For more coverage like this, visit bizlixo.com.

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