L.L.Bean will celebrate the the grand opening of its newest green store
at
the Colonie Center, Albany, New York, on Friday, September 14. The
Albany store – its first in New York – is the eighth store outside of Maine the company has
opened as part of an initiative to expand its brick and mortar retail
business.
Bean's new store is approximately 30,000 square feet and built to U.S.
Green Building Council's LEED standards. The store incorporates
environmentally friendly building materials and fixtures, and utilizes
systems and technology to increase energy efficiency, thereby reducing
the store's environmental footprint. It will employ approximately 125
people and offer a selection of high-quality outdoor apparel and gear
including hiking, fly- fishing, kayaking, biking and camping products.
“L.L.Bean has a strong commitment to protecting and preserving outdoor
spaces. Because of this commitment, it is important for the company to
create a sustainable retail environment for our customers,” said Ken
Kacere, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Retail. “With the
opening of the Albany Store, L.L. Bean is excited to offer a broad
range of recreational products, more hands on opportunities with our
Outdoor Discovery Schools, and a strong connection to local
conservation and recreation organizations that serve this community.”
Regarding the grand opening, L.L.Bean will give away gift cards — worth up to $500 — to the first
200 customers and signed Maine storybooks to the first 100 kids on
Friday, September 14th. Expert instructors from L.L.Bean's Outdoor
Discovery Schools will be offering free clinics, demonstrations and
L.L.Bean's popular fly- casting Walk-On Adventures. Other grand opening
activities include The Weather Channel's interactive weather wall, an
opportunity to register-to-win a ski vacation to Mount Snow Ski Resort
in Vermont, Fun with Bugs with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, and
Butterfly Exploration with Scotia-Glenville Children's Museum.
The store will remain open 24 hours a day during the weekend long
event. Night-owl shoppers will be treated to refreshments, live music
and giveaways after midnight on Friday and Saturday.
In celebration of the new store, L.L.Bean will contribute $30,000 in
cash and product to the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Twenty thousand
dollars of the gift will establish the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Fund
at the Preserve's new center to support a variety of student and
family-based outdoor education and recreation programs. The balance of
the gift will be used to supply outdoor equipment to enhance programs
at the center and 3,010-acre Preserve.
After the grand opening weekend, Albany regular store hours will be
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Other L.L.Bean Stores are located in McLean, Virginia; Columbia,
Maryland; Marlton, New Jersey; West Lebanon, New Hampshire; Burlington,
Massachusetts; Center Valley, Pennsylvania; South Windsor, Connecticut
and Freeport, Maine, the site of L.L.Bean's original Flagship Store,
Hunting and Fishing Store and Bike, Boat & Ski Store.
