FREEPORT, Maine, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts residents who love the outdoors will want to head to Mansfield Crossing on Friday, November 16, as L.L.Bean celebrates the grand opening of its second Massachusetts store. Mansfield Crossing is located at 280 School Street, Mansfield, MA.

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The grand opening celebration promises fun and adventure for the whole family. The doors will open at 9AM, Friday, November 16, and will remain open 24 hours a day during the weekend long event. Night-owl shoppers will be treated to refreshments, live music and giveaways after 11PM on Friday and Saturday.

L.L.Bean will give away gift cards-worth up to $500-to the first 500 customers in line and signed Maine storybooks to the first 100 kids on Friday, November 16. Expert instructors from L.L.Bean's Outdoor Discovery Schools will be offering free clinics and demonstrations. Other exciting grand opening activities include an opportunity to meet Leon Gorman (Chairman and "L.L.'s" grandson) as he signs copies of his book The Making of an American Icon on Saturday, November 17 from 11AM-3PM.

Fun weekend activities for the entire family include; The Weather Channel's interactive weather wall, Birds of Prey and Turtles with the Mass Audubon and Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, Fun with Science presented by The Children's Museum of Easton, and an opportunity to register-to-win a ski vacation for four to Sunday River in Maine.

Bean's new store is approximately 25,000 square feet and, as with all new L.L.Bean stores, built to U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards. The store incorporates environmentally friendly building materials and fixtures, and utilizes systems and technology to increase energy efficiency, thereby reducing the store's environmental footprint. It will employ approximately 125 people and offer a carefully edited assortment of high-quality outdoor apparel and gear including hiking, fly-fishing, kayaking, biking and camping products.

"With the opening of our second Massachusetts store, we can provide a broad range of recreational products and more hands on opportunities with our popular Outdoor Discovery Schools to serve our customers in and around the Mansfield area," said Ken Kacere, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Retail. "Massachusetts offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities and we want to make sure our customers are outfitted with the appropriate apparel, gear and knowledge for their next adventure."

In celebration of the new store, L.L.Bean will donate $25,000 in cash and product to the Great Park Pursuit project, an effort of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Great Park Pursuit is part of the department's No Child Left Inside initiative designed to encourage Massachusetts families and visitors to enjoy all the recreational resources and outdoor activities that Massachusetts state parks have to offer.

The Mansfield store is the ninth store outside of Maine the company has opened as part of an initiative to expand its brick and mortar retail business. After the grand opening weekend, Mansfield Crossing regular store hours will be Monday through Saturday 8AM to 10PM., Sunday 8AM to 8PM. Other L.L.Bean Stores are located in McLean, Virginia; Columbia, Maryland; Marlton, New Jersey; West Lebanon, New Hampshire; Burlington, Massachusetts; Center Valley, Pennsylvania; South Windsor, Connecticut; Albany, New York and Freeport, Maine, the site of L.L.Bean's original Flagship Store campus, with its new and expanded Hunting and Fishing Store and the Bike, Boat & Ski Store.

L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading retailer of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. While its business has grown substantially, L.L.Bean still upholds the values of its founder and continues his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors. You can visit L.L.Bean anytime at http://www.llbean.com/.

CONTACT: Laurie Brooks of L.L.Bean, Inc., +1-207-552-6016,
lbrooks@llbean.com

Web site: http://www.llbean.com/