Legendary outdoor gear retailer to open first urban store

L.L. Bean is going to set up camp in Boston.



The Freeport, Maine-based retailer will open its first permanent, full-line store in an urban location in spring 2018, in the Seaport District of Boston. The store will feature active and casual apparel, outerwear, and footwear, as well as outdoor lifestyle gear curated for residents and visitors of Boston. At 8,600 sq. ft., the Boston outpost will be significantly smaller than Bean’s traditional retail footprint.



"As a company steeped in a rich New England history and heritage, Boston is like a home away from home for us,” Ken Kacere, senior VP and general manager of retail at L.L.Bean, said in a statement. “Amongst the bustling progress of the Seaport area, we know this is going to be a great location. The evolution that's taking place within the Seaport neighborhood is pretty exciting and we're glad to be a part of it with this very special L.L.Bean store.”



Bean currently operates three mall-based stores in Massachusetts, along with a 150-sq.-ft. kiosk at the Prudential Center in Boston, and a seasonal kiosk at the Natick Mall, Natick, Mass. It is scheduled to a 20,000-sq.-ft. location at Mashpee Commons, a mixed-use center in Mashpee, Massachusetts, this summer. Additional upcoming locations include a 15,000-sq.-ft. store at The Shops at Stonefield, in Charlottesville, Va., opening this summer, and a 22,700-sq.-ft. store at Pike & Rose, a mixed-used community in North Bethesda, Maryland, opening in the fall.