L.L. Bean's Retail Expansion Path Leads to Cranston

CRANSTON, RI—Maine-based L.L. Bean, known around the world for its Duck Boots and durable American-made clothing, is setting up camp in Garden City Center.

The new store, which will employ about 100 people and should open this summer, will occupy 17,000 square feet of space once occupied by Office Max and marks the first Rhode Island retail store for the company, founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean.

The Wilder Companies, which manages Garden City Center, announced the new L.L. Bean store on Thursday and Maria Salvatore, leasing consultant, said “Garden City Center is the perfect location for a store that focuses on the outdoor life.”

Ken Kacere, senior vice president and general manager of retail at L.L. Bean, said that Cranston is a good home for the store considering “there’s paddling on the Pawtuxet River and in Narragansett Bay, cycling along the East Bay Bicycle Path, plus numerous green spaces to recreate in. This is going to be a great home for us because of all of the terrific outdoor activities to be had, all within a stone’s throw from the store.”

The new store is part of the company’s ongoing push to expand its retail presence.

Most people are familiar with the brand from its catalogs and mail-order operations. With a retail store, Kacere said customers will soon experience their products right here in Cranston “in 3-D.”

L.L. Bean is a privately owned company. In the most-recent fiscal year, the company reported net revenue of $1.61 billion, a three percent increase over the prior year.

The company has a goal of opening about 100 stores by 2020. Its 22,000 square-foot retail flagship store in Freeport, ME, is open around the clock, 365 days a year and welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year.

Along with clothing, the famous Bean Boots, fishing and camping gear, the store will offer its Outdoor Discovery Schools programs that give hands-on demonstrations and introductions to things like snowshoeing, kayaking, archery and more.

The company said more than 130,000 people took part in those programs in 2014.

The new store is also yet another coup for The Wilder Companies. Garden City Center has positioned itself as one of the states premiere destination shopping centers, expedited by a major expansion and renovation project kicked off in 2010.

Over time, Garden City has attracted a roster of exclusive retail stores, including Anthropologie, The Container Store, Crate & Barrell, Sephora, and others.

Now, L.L. Bean is looking to hire. People interested in jobs should check out the L. L. Bean careers page HERE.