Construction begins on new L.L. Bean location in CT

L.L. Bean , the popular Maine-based outdoor apparel store, is set to open the doors to its third  and largest Connecticut location this fall, solidifying a rapid expansion in recent years for the company.

Construction has begun on L.L. Bean’s new 25,000-square-foot Enfield location at 20 Brookside Plaza off Interstate 91, according to the town’s building department . The popular store takes over the former Bed Bath & Beyond location which closed last year after announcing bankruptcy. The town said all permits submitted by L.L. Bean have been approved. The new location is set to become the largest brick-and-mortar L.L. Bean store in the state.

“Construction is going very well, and hiring is currently underway,” said Jason Sulham, spokesperson for the company.

The retail giant currently has two other locations in Connecticut — at the Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor and at the Danbury Fair Mall. L.L. Bean previously had a location at the Shops at Yale in New Haven that opened in 2018, but it closed back in February, according to the company website. The outdoor apparel store also has a location in Hadley, Mass., about 30 minutes north of Springfield that opened in 2019, according to the company.

The fall opening of L.L. Bean’s Enfield store comes amid a flurry of new brick-and-mortar locations across the country. New locations include Ulster Crossing in Ulster, New York, that opened May 10, Silver Spring Square in Mechanicsburg, Penn. and Rivers Edge in Indianapolis, Ind., opening this fall.

Currently, L.L. Bean has 57 stores in the U.S., spread across 19 states, according to the company. L.L. Bean, led by CEO Stephen Smith, says it’s pursuing a growth strategy despite posting a less than favorable sales report last year. The company went from $1.8 billion in annual sales in 2022 to $1.7 billion last year, according to a press release.

“Our four 2024 store openings represent a significant step forward in our commitment to making L.L.Bean’s exceptional outdoor gear, apparel and footwear accessible to a broader audience,” Greg Elder, L.L.Bean chief retail officer, said in a June press release. “As we continue to expand our retail footprint beyond New England, we are eager to strengthen our connection with customers and communities across the country, enabling more people to experience the restorative power of time outside.”

But while L.L. Bean sets its sights beyond New England, it’s also betting big on the growth along Connecticut’s Interstate 91 corridor. The greater Hartford–Springfield area is New England’s second most populous outside of Greater Boston, with 1.9 million residents, according to census data.

The success of the retail giant comes amid several years of economic growth as the pandemic drove consumer habits to outdoor retail. Consumers looking to remain active during lockdowns turned to hobbies like walking, biking, hiking and camping. The company has also continued to boast strong catalog sales despite seeing slowed economic growth last year, according to L.L. Bean.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com