USA: L.L. Bean Opens Flagship Store

L.L. Bean, the apparel retailer, opened its first store outside of Maine last week. The 75,000sq ft flagship store is located at the Tysons Corner Mall in Virginia.The full-line retail store is part of the company's plan to open 10 to 12 stores on the East Coast by 2005, Chain Store Age reported. Other locations are likely to include New Jersey and New York.The Tysons Corner full-line retail shop is home to a children's rock-climbing wall and a camping test equipment area. L.L. Bean was founded in 1912 and operates stores in Freeport, Maine and Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia;factory outlet stores on the East and West coasts; a website; and a catalogue business. It also has more than 20 retail stores in Japan.