LL Bean under construction in Mansfield

[C-pher]

Yep, but I haven't been there yet. Dave said that it's pretty much clothing...

Which I need to check out because I need a new pair of Bean's Rubber Mocs.

We've been to Burlington. ONLY clothing!

Crap...I really need to get a new pair...and I like to try them on for size each time... Seems that I need a different size when I go in... So I like to buy them in person. I guess that I'll just have to wait for the next trip up to Maine.

 

[Len-2A Training]

C-pher, when I said "clothing" I meant including SOME shoes. Give them a call and check. We went there looking for "snow sneakers" advertised in one of their catalogs. They didn't have them, but THEY ordered them for us on the floor and they ate the shipping (since we were in the store and they didn't stock them).

So, they have some shoes, boots, etc. but not all styles.

 

[jkelly]

We've been to Burlington. ONLY clothing!---LenS

And some fly fishing stuff too.


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[reinbeau]

Given the choice of any of the "big" sporting goods stores, Cabela's would be my choice hands down. Thank goodness they're building in East Hartford and will be open this year. They're already advertising for workers on their website. Hmmmm...

LL Bean is no longer the draw it once was. I like their stuff, ok, and yes, they have a good return policy but they have moved more into the yuppie clothing store area. They are also building a store in Manchester/South Windsor in Evergreen Walk. That place is a like a "disneyland" for shoppers....mostly women. It's a very up-scale shopping experience next to the Buckland Mall. My wife loves it. I could care less and I know that the LLBean store opening there will be 99% clothing.

There is still plenty of outdoors stuff at LLBean, and plenty of people shopping there. Just because they've expanded their clothing line doesn't mean they've stepped back on the standard LLBean line of camping, fishing, archery and hunting products. They've got a whole separate building for most of that! Unless you've actually been to the Freeport store and seen what they offer, and you've only gone to a satellite store, you really can't appreciate the depth of their product line.

Of course it doesn't hurt my feelings at all that they carry great clothing. Most every staple thing I wear is from LLBean, purchased because of the quality and the guarantee. As Greg has said we go there regularly, stopping at the factory store first and then going to the main store.

We go to Bass Pro Shops and Kittery Trading Post. I'd again vote for KTP, because of the excellent womens' shop for me and extensive outdoors stuff for Greg (I fondle the guns, too!). Bass Pro Shops doesn't do a thing for me.

So yea, if you're a guy who is shopping only for his interests Bass Pro or Cabela's would be your favorite. The clothing, however, doesn't take away from the rest of the product line offered by LLBean or KTP.