L.L.Bean continues its national retail expansion with the opening of its third Illinois store, scheduled to open the fall of 2018.
The L.L.Bean store will be located at Oakbrook Center, a shopping destination and outdoor mall with an expansive array of department stores, specialty shops and an abundance of one-of-a-kind dining and entertainment options in Oak Brook, IL.
The 18,000 square-foot store will feature an assortment of active and casual apparel, outerwear, and footwear, as well as a variety of outdoor lifestyle gear. The store will employ approximately 70 people and will exist as a community outdoor resource for high-quality gear and apparel, as well as technical knowhow.
When it opens, this will be L.L.Bean’s 41st retail store outside of Maine. L.L.Bean currently has two other stores in Illinois, with locations in Skokie and South Barrington.
“DuPage County features six hundred acres of lakes, forty-seven miles of rivers and streams, and more than 450 miles of trails, so there’s not only an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities, but a population base that regularly takes advantage of them,” said Ken Kacere, senior vice-president and general manager of retail. “We look forward to infusing a bit of the Maine essence and L.L.Bean brand into the area and empowering folks to get outdoors with great equipment, apparel and outdoor expertise.”
Of particular note will be the inclusion of L.L.Bean’s Outdoor Discovery Schools, which will offer demonstrations, clinics and introductory hands-on activities like snowshoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, archery and fly casting, all designed to make it easy for people to engage in outdoor activities for health, fitness and recreation. L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools’ courses are offered at every L.L.Bean Retail Store. In 2016, over 150,000 people participated in these programs.
The new Illinois store will allow the people of Oak Brook and beyond to experience first-hand everything the legendary outdoor retailer offers: quality merchandise, exemplary customer service, a welcoming shopping environment and an ethos to always do what’s right by its customers, employees, the environment, and the community.
Photo courtesy L.L.Bean
