L.L.Bean unveils renovated flagship store in Freeport
L.L.Bean’s flagship store in Freeport swung its doors open again on Monday after a nearly two‑year closure, unveiling a $50 million renovation that has transformed the historic 1912 building at 95 Main Street. The redesign, which took four years to complete, centers on a two‑tiered trout pond and a first‑floor footwear department, while also opening up sightlines with a grand staircase that leads to an atrium‑style mezzanine overlooking the water and the main entrance.
Visitors stepping into the expanded lobby are greeted by a stream tank populated with rainbow, brown and brook trout. A clear plastic dome lets children and smaller adults lift their heads into the water for an up‑close look at the swimming fish. Freeport resident Maurine Miller tried the dome with her two‑year‑old daughter Alta, saying, “It’s amazing. The fish are key for the kids. It’s great to have the store open again as a center of the community. We missed it.”
The renovation was highlighted by remarks from company leadership. Shawn Gorman, L.L.Bean’s executive and board chairman, noted that his great‑grandcompany founder Leon Leonwood Bean would be pleased the work stayed true to the brand’s heritage and future. He added, “L.L.Bean is the gateway to the outdoors in Maine. It’s always been much more than a store, and that’s especially true of our reimagined flagship store.” President and CEO Greg Elder praised the planning and creativity behind the project, crediting WBRC of Portland, Arrowstreet of Boston and Sebago Technics of South Portland for the design, and Zachau Construction of Freeport as the lead contractor.
The new layout mimics the flow of a New England farmhouse, according to spokesman Jason Sulham, who said, “Everything’s going to feel a lot more connected and be easier to find.” A single checkout station now sits to the left of the trout pond as shoppers enter, with the men’s department to the right and the expanded 1912 Café—complete with a lounge area and views of Main Street—beyond it. Behind the grand staircase and main elevator, the women’s and men’s footwear sections feature historic displays of the iconic Bean Boot and a mural of Mount Katahdin’s ridge line.
Facilities manager Christine Dupuis explained the appeal of the water features: “It brings the outdoors into the store. It’s front and center and paramount to everything L.L.Bean is about.”
The store’s reopening kicked off a six‑week celebration that begins this Friday and continues with five themed weekends. The opening weekend includes a free concert by country artist Kip Moore on Friday evening, followed by a performance from The Wallflowers on October 23. Subsequent weekends will highlight vintage apparel, craft‑and‑customizing opportunities, and a Home Team event featuring a Red Sox legend and Maine’s Hearts of Pine soccer team.
On the sales floor, the ground level houses the Boat and Tote department—which moves more than one million canvas totes each year—and the new Custom Shop, which monogrammed over 200,000 items during the 2025 holiday season. Level 1 is devoted to camping, hiking, hunting and an archery range, while Level 2 offers fishing, home goods and a remodeled children’s area.
After the ribbon‑cutting ceremony, confetti fell as the store returned to its regular 24‑hour schedule. The flagship now leads a network of 73 U.S. locations, 18 in Japan and 16 in Canada, operated in partnership with the Jaytex Group.
