Eastview

Throngs of shoppers line up for L.L. Bean opening

By, Tom Tobin, Staff Writer, Democrat and Chronicle

The first western New York L.L. Bean store opened Friday morning at the Eastview Mall in Victor to a throng of 1,000 or more excited shoppers, some of whom began lining up early Thursday evening.

The attraction for many of the early arrivals was the promise of gift cards ranging in value from $10 to $500 for the first 250 customers through the door.

The 27,000-square-foot outlet, located across from the Regal Eastview theater, offers a full range of outdoor-related products, from clothes to camping gear and fishing equipment to kayaks, which in the high-ceilinged store hung invitingly, in various colors, from the wall.

"I want a lime-green kayak," Lori Hammel of Brighton said from her spot near the head of the line.

Many of those waiting Friday morning sung the praises of L.L. Bean, recalling the time they had visited the iconic retailer's Freeport, Maine headquarters. Other merely sung the praises of the $500 gift cards, of which there were four.

Ken Kacere, senior vice president of retail for the company, walked the line an hour before the opening Friday, asking the waiting customers to touch the four envelopes holding the big prizes.

"Put a little good luck karma on them." Kacere said to the crowd, many of whom had brought lawn chairs, sleeping bags and coolers to help them through the night. "I've been to 13 of these openings and this is the best-behaved, best group yet," Kacere said. In response, the crowd cheered.

Despite the long hours of anticipation, the waiting shoppers were good-natured by and large, and the mood was convivial. Though L.L. Bean kept no official numbers, some in the crowd estimated that as many as 500 had spent the night in line. By 8 a.m., it had snaked down the sidewalk, across the parking lot and past the entrance to the adjacent store, Raymour and Flanigan Furniture.

First in line, having arrived at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, were Wade Dalton and his son Christopher of Hemlock, Livingston County. Dalton owns Carver Creek woodworks in Bloomfield and is a long-time hiker and outdoors person.

"When I got here I thought I had the wrong day because there was nobody here," Dalton said. A hour later or so Mark and Ginny Gibney of Canandaigua and their four children arrived.

"We've all become friends," she said, gesturing toward the others in line. "It turns out I work with Wade's wife."

Store employees handed out water and pizza and one store employee, Kevin Murray, went home, baked two or three dozen cookies, and brought them back to share with the crowd.

At 9 a. m. the doors opened and shoppers, to a series of robust cheers for themselves, began to enter the store. "Everyone's so excited," district manager Kim DeVanney said. "Beyond excited." The store employs about 160, chosen from more than 1,500 applications.

Friday was the first day of a three-day grand opening for L.L. Bean's Eastview store. On Saturday, a kayak will be given away every hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Sunday, there will be a raffle for a $750 shopping spree.

Shoppers also signed up Friday for the free kayaking and fly-casting lessons offered this weekend. Other events are scheduled as well.

For a list of activities, go to www.llbean.com/victor.

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