Eastern Outfitters / Bob's Stores / EMS

Eastern Outfitters' 2017 bankruptcy collapsed Bob's Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, two New England retail chains with different positioning (discount apparel and outdoor gear) that failed for the same reason: online and big-box competition. The company had been assembled through acquisition, combining unrelated concepts that shared back-office functions but not customers. Liquidation closed all Bob's locations; Sports Direct bought EMS.