All was calm and still in my neighborhood, so I was stunned to enter downtown Freeport, less than three miles from my front door, and find the streets literally clogged with people and traffic at a standstill; it looked more like I imagine downtown Tokyo than rural Maine. Undaunted, I used my "insider" knowledge to find a parking spot and ran into L. L. Bean's to purchase a gift for a friend. Inside was even worse than outside; it was all but impossible to move, reminding me of Woodstock but without the LSD. Determined, I joined all the other shoppers in their quests for something that was Maine-made and with an L. L. Bean label, since that is so classically American.Here's what I found:
L.L. Bean Classic Logo T-shirt, Made in China
L.L. Bean Stowaway Backpack, Made in Viet Nam
L.L. Bean Women's Backpack, Made in Viet Nam
L.L. Bean Mens Knit Shirts, Made in China
L.L. Bean Hooded Logo Sweatshirts, Made in India
L.L. Bean Aluminum Bottle Canteens, Made in China
L.L. Bean Infinity Jugs, Made in China
L.L. Bean Helix Fishing Waders, Made in China
L.L. Bean Fishing Shoes, Made in China
L.L. Bean Flannel Shirts, Made in Viet Nam
L.L. Bean Tassel Loafers, Made in El Salvador
L.L. Bean Men’s Chino Pants, Made in India
L.L. Bean Men’s Chino Pants, Made in China
L.L. Bean Logo Flip-Flops, Made in China
L.L. Bean Dockers Shoes, Made in China
L.L. Bean Men’s Boxer Shorts, Made in Sri Lanka
L.L. Bean Towels and Facecloths, Made in Turkey
L.L. Bean Large Duffel Bags, Made in China
L.L. Bean Women’s Coats, Made in Bangladesh
L.L. Bean Women’s Fleece Jackets, Made in El Salvador
L.L. Bean Women’s Raincoat, Made in China
L.L. Bean Men’s Blazer, Made in Viet Nam
L.L. Bean Women’s Jeans, Made in Mexico
L.L. Bean Runabout Classic Cruiser Bike, Made in China
L.L. Bean Student Monogrammed Book Bag, Made in Viet Nam
I freaked out and pushed through the crowds to the exit to get some fresh air. Outside, I plopped down into a Classic Maine Adirondack Double Wooden Rocker to catch my breath, confident that at least that was made here. Only it was made in Viet Nam. Really.
