In the age of AI, L.L. Bean is betting big on brick-and-mortar shopping

The company’s new CEO poured $50 million into its Maine flagship on the theory that shoppers are eager for immersive, analog experiences.

[Photo: courtesy L.L. Bean]

When you step into the newly renovated L.L. Bean flagship, the first thing you see isn’t the brand’s latest collection of field coats or duck boots. It’s fish.

As you cross the threshold of the 160,000-square-foot store in Freeport, Maine, you’re greeted by massive, multilevel aquariums stocked with native Maine trout; instructors from the company’s nearby outdoor education center conduct fly-fishing demonstrations. As you climb the entryway’s grand staircase, there’s a pond exhibit featuring acrylic view ports where........

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