L.L.Bean Reimagines its Iconic Freeport Store

Outdoor lifestyle brand L.L.Bean recently celebrated the grand re-opening of its flagship store and campus in Freeport, Maine, marking the completion of a multi-year reimagination of the brand’s iconic and original retail destination.

“Reimagining an icon is an extraordinary undertaking, and the result reflects the passion, creativity, and dedication of the team behind it,” said Greg Elder, President and CEO of L.L.Bean. “We know our customers share our anticipation and we can’t wait to see the store come to life in September with their return. The wait is almost over, and there’s no doubt it will have been worth it.”

The reimagined Flagship store and campus, which is visited by many Canadian tourists each year, immerses customers in the outdoor lifestyle inspired by Maine and surrounds them with the products designed to enjoy it.

Features include:

A new first floor primary entrance centered by a grand staircase that welcomes customers into the elevated shopping experience.
A two-tiered trout pond, 2x times the size of the previous pond, fronting the grand staircase with more viewpoints and better accessibility.
A new stream tank with twice the space for fish and more accessible viewing bubbles to accommodate fish fans of all ages.
An all-new Custom Shop with expanded monogramming, engraving, and embossing options for a more interactive and easier-to-shop experience.
A new 1912 Café enlarged to 3,000sqft, overlooking the Custom Shop and Main Street, and featuring a tastier menu of favorites.
A remodeled kids’ department inspired by a children’s focus group and designed to keep the camp vibes going.
An expanded Discovery Park, the center of the Flagship campus, that adds green space and enhances our outdoor programming.
Heritage moments throughout the store that celebrate our iconic products such as the Bean Boot and the Boat and Tote, as well as the Flagship through its various eras.
A more identifiable Main Street entrance and façade that is better suited for pedestrians.
A unified New England Village aesthetic first established by the Home Store and Hunt and Fish Store.

“When my great-grandfather, L.L., opened his first retail space above the Freeport post office in 1917, he never imagined what it would become – our home for more than 110 years and the unofficial hub of downtown, welcoming more than 3 million visitors a year,” said Shawn Gorman, board chairman and great-grandson of L.L.Bean. “This is as much a celebration of his legacy and for Freeport as it is for L.L.Bean. We can’t wait to unveil to our customers and our community a Flagship for the next century.”

In an interview with Retail Insider, Elder spoke about the latest developments with the retailer.

What prompted L.L.Bean to undertake the multi-year renovation of its flagship store in Freeport, and what did the company want to change about the customer experience?

The Flagship has welcomed people to Freeport for more than 110 years and is a beloved icon. However, we wanted to reimagine the flagship for the next 100 years and took the bold step to create the future of experiential retail while preserving the history and traditions people love.

Our Flagship has always been more of a destination than a store. The goal was to lean into that and create a more immersive experience that better showcases our products, heritage, and the Maine outdoor lifestyle. That includes an expanded Discovery Park where the outdoors becomes part of the campus, a larger trout pond and stream tank, a new interactive kids department, an expanded 1912 Café, a Custom Shop where you can personalize your favorite L.L.Bean products, and historical moments throughout the store that celebrate iconic products and the company’s heritage.

How much has L.L.Bean invested in the renovation, and how does the company expect the reimagined flagship to contribute to the broader business?

L.L.Bean invested $50 million in the reimagination of the Flagship and surrounding campus, the most significant investment we’ve made in our retail experience.

More than three million people visit the Freeport campus each year, so the Flagship plays an important role in both our business and how people experience L.L.Bean. The reimagined campus allows us to showcase our products and innovation in new ways while creating an experience that brings both new and longtime customers closer to the brand for longer periods of time. As we continue to grow across stores, digital, wholesale and other channels, Freeport will remain an important destination for experiencing L.L.Bean firsthand.

The flagship attracts more than three million visitors a year; how has customer behaviour and expectations changed since the store was last significantly updated?

Customers have more ways to shop than ever before, but they’re still seeking out L.L.Bean to outfit them for their outdoor lifestyle. What has evolved is what they expect from a physical store. They still value trying on products, seeing and feeling them firsthand and getting advice from our experts, but they increasingly expect the overall experience to offer something beyond the transaction.

That means creating a place where customers can be fully immersed in the brand, while continuing to deliver the service and expertise they’ve always received from L.L.Bean. The reimagination gives customers more ways to experience L.L.Bean and connect with the outdoor lifestyle in real life. Whether someone is preparing for a major outdoor adventure or simply looking to get more fresh air in their everyday life, our purpose remains the same: helping inspire and enable everyone to experience the restorative power of being outside.

How important are experiential elements such as the trout pond, stream tank, Custom Shop, café and Discovery Park to L.L.Bean’s retail strategy and ability to drive customers to physical stores?

Exceptionally important, but it’s about more than just driving customers to the store. They provide interactive experiences with the brand that can only be had in person. The Custom Shop brings personalization and craftsmanship to the forefront; the 1912 Café creates a natural gathering place; and Discovery Park gives us greater capacity for concerts, events and Outdoor Discovery Program activities.

At the same time, we knew it was important to preserve beloved features like the trout pond and stream tank. Both have been reimagined to be larger and more accessible, carrying familiar pieces of the Flagship forward for a new generation. Together, these elements give customers more ways to engage with L.L.Bean when they visit and make the Flagship an experience that extends beyond shopping.

With the renovated flagship intended to serve as a home for the brand for the next century, what does L.L.Bean see as the role of its Freeport campus in the company’s future retail strategy?

The Flagship in Freeport will continue to be the home of L.L.Bean and the fullest expression of who we are as the outdoor lifestyle brand. It gives us a place to bring our products, heritage, and purpose together in a way that is uniquely L.L.Bean.

It also reflects how we think about the future of physical retail as we export the Flagship experience to regional stores: creating spaces that combine innovative, outdoor inspired products with great service, personalization, programming and experiences.

Last year we opened seven new stores including our first in Florida. This year we will have opened eight new stores, including our first in Alabama and Tennessee. Next year we are opening ten new stores including our first stores in North Dakota, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa and South Carolina.

With the flagship store, what can they tell me about Canadian visitors to that location each year?

With so much commonality between Maine and Canada, Canadian customers have been an important part of the L.L.Bean community for many years. We deeply value the connection we have with our neighbors to the north who embrace the outdoor lifestyle and have a strong affinity for our products and brand. We’re always grateful to welcome Canadian guests to Freeport and hope the newly renovated campus gives them even more reasons to visit, shop our outdoor inspired products, and experience our outdoor lifestyle brand in person.

In terms of redevelopment of the store, would this concept see its way into Canadian stores in the future?

The concepts and philosophy will see its way to all stores, and in many ways, they already have, especially when it comes to product and brand. The reimagined flagship reflects how we think about the future of physical retail as we export the experience to regional stores. We are creating spaces that combine great shopping with great service, personalization, programming and experiences. We also work closely with Jaytex, our Canadian partner, whose understanding of the Canadian retail landscape helps ensure that new concepts are thoughtfully adapted to resonate with Canadian customers and communities.