The L.L. Bean team in celebration of their 100th
year of service, catering to the worlds various outdoor interests and passions,
has published a 224 page “coffee table” book that highlights some of the major
milestones that have occurred within the company over the past century.
The book itself, titled “Guaranteed to Last L.L. Bean’s
Century of Outfitting America” is artistically beautiful, boasting a canvas
cover and stitching designed to mimic the company’s iconic boat and tote bag
(Be sure to read the tote poem on p. 101).
Inside are hundreds of classic hunting and fishing pictures
that depict L.L. Bean and his family and friends (Don’t miss the impressive
haul of fish on page 95) in various outdoor adventures. I especially enjoyed
the sections depicting and describing the L.L. Bean Corporation during its
hunting and fishing heyday up till approximately the 1950s. This was obviously
a time when the store was squarely centered on the specific needs of hunting
and fishing enthusiasts.
As the years pass, we find that the classic pursuits of
hunting and fishing, once the bread and butter of the L.L. Bean storefront
become of lesser importance. Hunting and fishing are no longer the only games
in town and must give way to a wide variety of outdoor pursuits including
kayaking, backpacking, nature photography, ice/rock climbing, bungee jumping,
paragliding, mountain biking, down hill skiing and advanced wine country tours.
Society had evolved and L.L. Bean had to evolve as well to be able to maintain
its bottom line.
To see this trend it is eye opening to look at the “Best
Sellers 1962 vs 2012 on page 135. Note that almost all of the top sellers in
the 1960s are purely focused on hunting. In 2012 almost every major seller has
the word “Chino” in the description. Preppiness (p. 159) provides additional
written details on this societal change and also pay special note to the comic
on page 154 concerning “Bird-Shooting” pants, as I feel this very eloquently
puts into perspective the shift that is grossly apparent in the American
culture and climate.
Duck hunting enthusiasts will appreciate the brief write on George
Soule (p. 53) and the photographs and description of the Maine Duck Hunting
Coat (p. 76). It is amazing to see just how far waterfowl apparel has come in
such a limited amount of time.
Maine Guides are provided a brief write up on page 83 and
there are several quotes by L.L. Bean the Maine Guide (p. 29) including this
one of mine that is now a favorite, “You may fish all day and not get a strike.
Therefore, make up your mind to have a good time. Enjoy camp life and exercise
in the open air and you will be well repaid for your trip.” As is certainly
apparent, Mr. Bean understood that there is more to the sports of hunting and
fishing then the taking of hair, fin and feather.
I enjoyed reading the “Going the Extra Mile” customer
service stories (pg. 112-113). It is apparent that the L.L. Bean
manufacturing machine has a vested interest in people and preserving our
outdoor heritage. Near and dear to my heart is a full page quote that expressly
centers on introducing kids to outdoor activities, “Kids who are exposed to
outdoors activities will make outdoor escapes part of their life as they enter
adulthood.” (P. 218)
The book closes with a few words from Chris McCormick that
paint a picture on what we can expect to see from L.L. Bean during the next
century and it is one we can all appreciate as outdoor enthusiasts, “one
hundred years from now, our natural environment and the pleasure that comes
from escapes to the outdoors will be no less important than they are today.
L.L. Bean will continue to be there to help preserve and protect the precious
places to escape, and will be there to inspire and enable successive
generations to enjoy their outdoor experiences even as outdoor activities
continue to evolve.” (p. 222)
Afterword: It is certainly no secret that I have had issue
with the direction L.L. Bean has taken through the years in relation to their divergence from their roots in hunting and fishing and also my displeasure with their new signature series, however, after reading this book and being able to see
specifically why they were “forced” to evolve, I am beginning to understand why
they need to make certain concessions in order to not just survive but to grow and thrive. I will continue to
be a valiant supporter of L.L. Bean and a certain selection of their products,
however, that doesn’t mean I won’t give them a hard time when I see them doing
something I don’t agree with . . . so please, please, please don’t make any more men’s pants with lil duckies on them or sweathers depicting polar bears having tickle fights!
