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Eddie Bauer wasn't just a marketing gimmick. He was born in 1899 to Russian immigrant parents in the North Puget Sound area of Washington. As a young man, his enthusiasm for the outdoors grew while working at Piper and Taft, then Seattle's biggest sporting goods store. In 1919, he started his own business selling tennis rackets. He soon expanded his line to include fishing tackle, golf clubs, and outdoor clothing. In 1929, Bauer married Christine Heltborg, who was as avid a sportsperson as Bauer himself. Christine inspired him to add women's clothing to his store. Bauer is credited with inventing the down parka. In winter 1934, he nearly got hypothermia after removing a heavy, wet, wool jacket. This inspired him to make a quilted, goose-down jacket, which he patented and sold in 1936. Eddie Bauer ran his growing company until 1968, when he retired. His business partner, William Niemi, bought the company, and it was eventually sold to larger corporations. Bauer died in 1986, but his stores, down parkas, and good name live on.
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