Two Eddie Bauer stores in Columbus will be closing within the next several months.

The company is reorganizing under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, said Lisa Erickson, spokeswoman for Eddie Bauer, Inc.

Sixty stores nationwide will be closed; the three stores closing in Ohio are located at Beachwood Mall in Cleveland, and City Center and the Mall at Tuttle Crossing in Columbus.

Spiegel Inc., the parent company of Eddie Bauer, filed for reorganization in March, Erickson said.

Debbie Koopman, spokeswoman for Spiegel Inc., said the company filed under Chapter 11 in order to restore the health of its business. Chapter 11 enables the company to reorganize its stores while maintaining its business.

“We hope to emerge a stronger company,” Koopman said.

Reorganization is beneficial, Erickson said.

“The whole idea of reorganizing is to put us in the position to make more profits,” she said.

The company is looking for a partner to help them liquidate their merchandise, Erickson said. After a partner is found, stores will begin to close.

Prior to the announcement, there were 529 Eddie Bauer stores nationwide. The stores that were bringing in the least amount of profit were picked to be eliminated.

The best efforts will be made to transfer about 15 workers per store to another location, Erickson said.

Although Eddie Bauer has been at the mall since its opening in 1989, Jill Rainey, director of marketing for City Center, said nine new stores will be opening in the mall including Kaufmann’s. The new stores will replace stores that are leaving and areas that were previously used for storage and sitting.

Rainey said stores may be shutting down their doors because their leases are up, they decide they aren’t going to continue in retail or the corporation may close them because of lack of profits.

“Eddie Bauer is a good tenant and we will work with them until they close,” Rainey said.

City Center is looking for several merchandisers that will attract future residents of downtown Columbus, as well as students and workers that already shop at the mall, Rainey said.

Chad Doritan, marketing director for Tuttle Mall, said she is unsure of when their Eddie Bauer will close.

“It’s unfortunate that they are leaving,” Doritan said. “But any store that leaves is an opportunity to bring in a good store that customers will like.”