🔒Freeport’s Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet slated for closure

The Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet store in downtown Freeport will close on Aug. 21, marking the end of a retail chapter that began in 1983. The company announced the closing in an email to customers last week. The 11,000-square-foot building, located at 76 Main St. across the street from the L.L.Bean Bike, Boat & Ski Store, is owned by Josh Soley and Steve Goodrich. Neither was immediately available for comment. The closure comes about a month before L.L.Bean is due to complete a $50 million reboot of its flagship campus.  Elsewhere on the main shopping drag, athletic apparel retailer Under Armour is considering leaving its spot at 66 Main Street, according to Tawni Whitney, Freeport's business development director. Franchise owner Alfred Yebba, however, said a decision has not been finalized.

Property showings

Whitney said the town has begun showing the Ralph Lauren space to prospective tenants, though no lease has yet been signed. "I hate to see them go, but it is going to be an excellent location for a new user, especially with the opening of L.L.Bean in September," said Whitney. "I hate losing legacy tenants, but I am learning more and more that it’s essential that we have mixed uses downtown," she continued. "You need to give people an experience worth leaving home for. Ideally, that is something that new tenants would bring to Freeport." Polo's departure comes at a time when downtown is undergoing major changes, with the addition of two multifamily developments on Depot Street. A spokesperson with Ralph Lauren said the company is not yet able to comment on the closure. Elsewhere in Maine, Ralph Lauren owns a Polo outlet store in Kittery. Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) is scheduled to report first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings on Aug. 6. The company's shares are trading about 25% higher than they were a year ago. Staff Writer Tina Fischer contributed to this report.