While other outdoor brands are contracting, L.L. Bean is expanding.
In the next few months, Orvis will close 36 full-price and outlet stores, REI shuttered its experiences business and said it would exit three high-profile stores in New York City, Boston and Paramus, N.J. next year, and Eastern Mountain Sports filed Chapter 11 last year.
But L.L. Bean is bucking the trend and will open eight stores across the U.S. in 2026, which will include expanding its reach into two new states: Alabama and Tennessee.
At the same time, the company is spending $50 million to transform its flagship in its hometown of Freeport, Maine. That reimagined store is expected to be unveiled in the fall.
This follows the addition of seven stores in 2025, including the first in Florida, all of which are exceeding expectations and producing strong sales, according to the company.
“We continue to see physical retail as an essential part of our growth strategy,” said Greg Elder, L.L. Bean’s chief retail officer. “Our 2026 expansion reflects our commitment to reaching more people who share our love for the outdoors. By thoughtfully entering new markets and investing in meaningful, experience-driven stores, we’re purposefully meeting customers where they are and creating more opportunities to connect with L.L. Bean in ways that reflect our values of quality, craftsmanship, and meaningful time spent outside.”
A winter look from L.L. Bean.
Courtesy of L.L. Bean
The new stores will be in Huntsville, Ala., opening in April; Glen Mills, Pa., opening in May; Maple Grove and Franklin, Tenn., both opening in July with Beavercreek, Ohio; Naperville, Ill.; Colorado Springs; Colo. and Ann Arbor, Mich., all slated for fall openings. This will bring the company’s total store count to 76 in 21 states.
The plan for 2027 is to further expand its retail presence with another eight to 10 stores, including new markets in the Midwest and Southeast.
The company’s flagship reboot project is intended to revamp the flagship to offer a more-immersive shopping experience along with expanded green space. It will include the return of the company’s storied fish pond, updated with multiple tiers and viewing points, and an overhaul of its stream tank with twice as much space and two viewing bubbles for shoppers to check out fish. There will also be an expanded in-store café overlooking Main Street offering coffee and food, a new product personalization and customization floor, a children’s play area inspired by youth summer camps in Maine, expanded community engagement area in an enlarged Discovery Park, and upgraded back-of-house functions that are intended to improve operations and service.
A rendering of the L.L. Bean flagship in Freeport, Maine.
Courtesy of L.L. Bean
The store has remained open during the renovation but with different hours and the relocation of some product lines to other parts of its Freeport campus.
“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,” said Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean’s executive chairman of the board. “But he knew what he wanted it to be. A place that strived to bring customers in, for the purpose of helping them get right back outside. Our new flagship experience will lead us into the future while honoring our past — with all the trusted products, tried-and-true service and outdoor passion that has made L.L. Bean a beloved Maine brand for over a century.”
