L.L.Bean (Freepoint, Maine) will open its first urban U.S. store tomorrow in downtown Boston. This is the first of a handful of new stores that will open this year in the retailer’s push to open smaller locations in what it considers “unique urban markets,” according to Bangor Daily News.
In total, the company will open five of these downtown stores this year. Each store will carry merchandise selected specifically for that locale and customer base. For instance, the 8600-square-foot Boston store will feature town-to-trail casual and activewear as well as equipment (such as kayaks) for rent that can be used in the nearby Fort Point Channel. The typical size of an L.L.Bean retail store is about 14,000 square feet.
The locations of the other stores include one in New Haven, Conn., near Yale University; Park City, Utah; Madison, Wis., near the University of Wisconsin; and Oak Brook, Ill.