The competition between outdoor gear and apparel is likely to be hot.
LL Bean is opening its first Florida store at 111 North Cattleman Road in Sarasota, in the western district of University Town Center. This is just a few doors from the 2023 location of the popular recreational service store REI Co-Op.
A spokesperson for LL Bean Company said it aims to open a location in Sarasota in early May.
LL Bean Stores sells clothing, outdoor equipment and apparel, footwear, bags, travel accessories, household items and outdoor adventure services.
The company’s flagship store is located in Freeport, Maine. Leon Leonwood Bean founded the company in the Pinetree state in 1912, according to the company’s history.
Today, it is a privately owned family-owned company. In its first year, the company sold only one item: main hunting shoes.
The item, symbolized by the giant replica boots in front of the flagship store, was sold through flyers, according to the company’s history. By 2018, LL Bean’s shopping catalogue had reached customers in 50 states and 150 countries.
LL Bean has over 50 retailers in 18 states.
A company spokesman did not specify the exact date for the Sarasota store to open, but said the store is almost 17,000 square feet. The storefront was previously home to Beds, Birth & Beyond. According to The New York Times, the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
