Few corporate names are so intimately woven into the fabric of a city that if you name the company, you know exactly where its roots are. Kodak and Roches-ter, N.Y., is one likely pair; DuPont and Wilmington, Del., another. But, for my travel buck, I'll take L. L. Bean and the charming town of Freeport, Maine, any day.
For generations, outdoorsmen have made the pilgrimage down Freeport's Main Street to visit the venerable L. L. Bean. I remember back in the 1960s and '70s, walking up the two flights of creaky wooden stairs a few times each year, stopping with my children to stare at the dioramas of stuffed black bears, pheasants and beavers recessed into the walls as you ascended.
The L. L. Bean of old is gone now, as is the sleepy town that Freeport once was. When you enter the L. L. Bean main store today, you step into the Magic Kingdom of retailing. The modern L. L. Bean is a happening, complete with a fully stocked trout pond, tents and the Maine woods equivalent of a cappuccino bar.
But, if your experience with Freeport is limited to a stop at L. L. Bean and a few other stores on Main Street -- like 4 million other tourists each year -- you're missing out on a charming New England small town adventure.
Freeport today
Twenty years ago, Freeport had the vision to leverage L. L. Bean's retailing presence and commitment to the town into a retail mecca. Walk north on Main Street (U.S. Route 1) and you'll encounter every conceivable name-brand factory outlet store, from Levis to Oshkosh, Calvin Klein to Maidenform.
During the summer, the streets of Freeport swarm with shoppers, some on a quick vacation stop en route to lakeside cabins or coastal vacation home rentals. Other shoppers come to Freeport to spend the day, while the true shop-till-you-drop die-hards log in a few days strolling from store to store, scooping up off-price bargains. Cars give way as families hurry to cross Main Street, often slurping a Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream cone in one hand and carrying a bag of bargains in the other.
By some estimates, about 75 percent of Freeport's visitors are concentrated in the four months from June through September, making the winter months an ideal time for the more adventurous shoppers. Streets are nearly empty, employees are less harried, and bargains may stay on the table longer than the 30 seconds it takes for you to turn around and get a second opinion from your spouse.
Directly adjacent to L. L. Bean's main mega-store is its newest creation, L. L. Kids. Whatever else you do in Freeport, don't miss this dream store, where kids rule. A trout stream in the center of the store gives kids an underwater view as brown trout swim lazily through a rocky cave. Upstairs, L. L. Kids offers more adventurous tykes a climbing wall, safely supervised by an adult specialist. You can try out mountain bikes on simulated trails. OK, maybe you can't, but your kids sure will.
On the bargain side, Bean's also maintains a factory outlet store two blocks south and east of the main building, where I've personally found many a bargain in recent years. As you head there, you'll be tempted by the likes of Patagonia, the Woods Face, Nautica and more.
The other Freeport
Beyond the shopping, another Freeport waits to be discovered.
History buffs, for example, can stand at the wide intersection of Main and Bow streets and imagine the horse-drawn sleds that made the turn toward the harbor, carrying the huge logs marked with the king's broad arrow that would serve as masts for England's sailing ships. The Freeport Historical Society offers a free walking tour guide of the town, explaining the many houses and commercial buildings on the National Historic Register.
One of my favorites is the Jameson Tavern, considered the birthplace of Maine. Here, in a beautifully restored house immediately adjacent to L. L. Bean's main store, officials met in 1820 and signed the final papers that separated Maine from Massachusetts. The house was built in 1779, and now is home to a fine restaurant in the front, complete with fireplace, and a tap room in the back that serves informal meals.
Be sure to ask owner Jack Stiles about Emily, the tavern's resident ghost, typically seen by children, although adults in town will swear they have felt her presence. "About 15 years ago a woman came into the restaurant," Stiles explains. "She was about 85 years old. She told us that her 4-year-old sister, Emily, had died in a tragic fire upstairs. When she tried to warm herself in front of the fireplace, her nightgown caught on fire."
Normally a benign spirit, one wintry Maine evening Emily showed her mischievous side. The bartender managed to catch a glass that fell off the shelf for no reason, to everyone's laughter and applause. "But, within seconds, glasses started falling off other places on the shelf and crashing onto the floor," Stiles recalls. "Emily sure didn't help business that night. Everyone left. I've had some managers -- big guys -- who wouldn't stay here at night because of her."
Just across the street and two blocks north of the Jameson Tavern, is one of the finest inns in New England, the Harraseeket Inn, owned by the same family that operates the Inn at Mystic (Connecticut). But don't think that the Harraseeket is just another bed and breakfast. This refined lodging sports a pool, exercise equipment, meeting rooms, library and parlor. Owner Nancy Gray and her son, Chip, pamper guests at their 84-room "home" like few other places I've stayed.
Whether you dine at their elegant four-star restaurant or grab an equally delicious meal at their informal Broad Arrow Tavern, where chefs perform their magic over open grills and brick ovens, the Harraseeket sets the standard for culinary heaven in the Freeport area. After dinner, enjoy a fine wine from the extensive list, read or chat with friends, all cozy in front of one of the 20 fireplaces found in the parlor and guest rooms. And expect warm Maine hospitality, as the Grays circulate around the premises, mingling with guests and exceeding their expectations.
One of my favorite places to eat breakfast in the area is about 10 miles south of Freeport, on Route 1 in Falmouth. The European Bakery and Tea Room is one of those tiny jewels you often stumble upon while traveling, then return to again and again. This immaculately clean cafe serves such appetizing and delectable pastries and breads, you gain weight just looking at them.
If you're in the mood for more strenuous pursuits, L. L. Bean offers its Outdoor Discovery Schools, a series of short courses aimed at busy families and individuals, many of them taught at the company's outdoor facility a couple of miles south of the retail store. These reasonably priced courses cover such outdoor pursuits as fly fishing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, archery, photography, bicycle maintenance, first aid, orienteering, and even striped bass fishing. Bean's sweetens the offer by giving course registrants a one-time 20 percent discount at the L. L. Bean store.
WHEN YOU GO ...
Getting there: Freeport is easily accessible from Interstate 95, 20 miles north of Portland, Maine.
Information
* Freeport Chamber of Commerce: www.freeportusa.com
* Freeport Historical Society: 207-865-3170
* Jameson Tavern, 115 Main Street, Freeport: 207-865-4196
* Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main Street, Freeport: 800-342-6423; www.stayfreeport.com
* L. L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools: 888-552-3261; www. llbean.com
* European Bakery and Tea Room: 395 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth; 207-781-3541