LLBean inks wholesale deal with Von Maur, retailer with stores in 15 states

A rendering shows renovations at LLBean.

RENDERING / COURTESY, L.L.BEAN INC. L.L.Bean’s growth strategy includes wholesale partnerships evaluated through brand compatibility. A $50 million revamp of the company's flagship store and Freeport campus is also underway.

Write a Comment

By Laurie Schreiber

L.L.Bean Inc. said this week it signed a wholesale deal with Von Maur Department Store, a Davenport, Iowa-based retail chain.

Starting this fall, the Freeport outfitter’s merchandise — including outerwear, clothing, footwear and accessories — will be offered in Von Maur stores across the country and through its online channels, according to a news release. Von Maur has 37 department stores in 15 states, plus online retail services.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Both L.L.Bean and Von Maur are family-owned retailers that have been in business for over a century.

“Wholesale partnerships continue to be an important part of how we make the L.L.Bean brand accessible to customers across the U.S. and advance our purpose of enabling people to experience the restorative power of being outside,” said Charlie Bruder, vice president of wholesale at L.L.Bean. “As we evaluate potential wholesale partnerships through our brand lens, Von Maur’s retail expertise, values and commitment to customer service made it feel like a natural fit for L.L.Bean.”

Founded in 1912, L.L.Bean is a multichannel merchant of outdoor gear and apparel. Its flagship store and retail campus in Freeport are in the middle of a $50 million revamp that began in January 2023 and continues this fall with construction of an in-store eatery, a new entrance, a “grand staircase” and a larger trout pond.

The 220,000-square-foot store is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and draws more than 3 million visitors per year. L.L.Bean operates 57 stores in 19 states across the U.S., along with 22 stores in Japan and 13 stores in Canada, in partnership with Jaytex Group.

Von Maur was founded in 1872 in downtown Davenport, Iowa. Led by fourth-generation family member Jim Von Maur, the company operates stores across much of the Midwest and beyond, as well as a 120,000-square-foot e-commerce facility. The company plans to open two more stores, one in Pittsburgh this fall and the second in Fargo, N.D., next spring. Von Maur is also in the midst of an extensive, multi-phased, $100 million renovation of its stores over the next five years, according to the release.