L.L.Bean’s ongoing expansion of its Freeport campus is attracting a growing cluster of outdoor recreation businesses to the Midcoast region, cementing the area’s identity as Maine’s outdoor industry hub and creating a mini-ecosystem of gear makers, outfitters, and experience providers.
The iconic retailer completed a $45 million expansion of its flagship store and Discovery campus last year, adding a 15,000-square-foot outdoor skills center, expanded kayak and paddleboard demo areas on the Harraseeket River, and a year-round outdoor event space. The investment has drawn increased foot traffic to Freeport, benefiting the town’s broader retail and hospitality sector.
“L.L.Bean is the anchor, but the outdoor recreation economy in the Midcoast is much bigger than any one company,” said Freeport economic development director Chip Gray. “We’re seeing a cluster effect where outdoor businesses are choosing to locate near each other.”
Recent arrivals include a custom kayak builder that relocated from New Hampshire, a fly fishing guide service that opened a retail shop on Main Street, and a startup that manufactures sustainable outdoor apparel from recycled ocean plastic. Several adventure tourism operators — offering guided hiking, biking, and paddling trips — have also established bases in the area.
The outdoor recreation economy is a significant and growing contributor to Maine’s overall economy. A recent state-commissioned study estimated that outdoor recreation generates $8.2 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 76,000 jobs in Maine — making it larger than the state’s fishing and forestry industries combined.
“People sometimes think of Maine’s economy in traditional terms — lobster, timber, tourism,” said state economic development director Heather Johnson. “But outdoor recreation is now one of our biggest economic drivers, and Freeport is increasingly at the center of it.”
L.L.Bean itself has expanded its workforce by approximately 200 positions over the past two years, with many of the new roles in its Outdoor Discovery Programs division, which offers free and low-cost classes in camping, kayaking, fly fishing, archery, and other outdoor skills.
“We believe that getting more people outside is good for communities, good for public health, and ultimately good for our business,” said L.L.Bean CEO Stephen Smith. “The Freeport campus is where that mission comes to life.”
The town is also investing in trail connections and public access points that make it easier for visitors and residents to transition from the retail district to the surrounding natural areas, including Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park and the town-owned Hedgehog Mountain trail network.
