L.L.Bean Expands Store Fleet Following ‘Strongest Fiscal Year in Nearly a Decade’
Samantha McDonald
Business Editor
L.L.Bean is expanding its brick-and-mortar fleet following its “strongest fiscal year in nearly a decade.”
The Freeport, Maine-based company has announced plans to open seven new stores by the end of 2021: Three debuts in the U.S. are slated to begin as soon as next month, with the location in Salem, N.H., opening in mid-May and outposts in Millbury, Mass., and Amherst, N.Y., opening this fall. In Canada, the chain will launch four new units in Victoria and Burnaby, British Columbia; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; and Calgary, Alberta.
“While 2020 posed many challenges to our business, including the temporary closure of all retail stores, we are committed to increasing our brick-and-mortar presence in order to serve more communities,” president and CEO Stephen Smith said in a statement. “We know that a record number of people reconnected with the outdoors amidst the pandemic, some for the first time, and we see these new habits remaining firmly in place going forward.”
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Demand for outdoor apparel and accessories as well as recreational goods spiked as the COVID-19 health crisis drove consumers indoors. For the year, L.L.Bean has predicted double-digit increases compared to 2021 and triple-digit surges compared to 2019 in “multiple categories.” In addition, its flagship store and Hunt & Fish location in its hometown is set to return to its around-the-clock schedule starting on Monday. (The outposts were shuttered for weeks due to government mandates and reopened with limited hours last year in May.)
“Returning to 24-hour service, extending hours and opening new stores all mark milestones for our organization and communities as we look toward a post-pandemic era and see a continued interest in the outdoors,” added executive chairman Shawn Gorman.
The brick-and-mortar expansion is also part of L.L.Bean’s broader omnichannel strategy to invest more heavily in its direct-to-consumer model while diversifying its channels through wholesale partnerships, large-scale collaborations and e-commerce acceleration.
Last summer, the 108-year-old brand notably inked three wholesale deals: department store Nordstrom, office supplies center Staples and Midwestern sporting goods retailer Scheels. A few months later, it added Zappos.com to its list of partners.
