Originally Posted by
Phil_gretz
Um, no. They've arrived at a similar space, but by different means. And, the earlier one cannot be a clone of the later one. Think the Maine Hunting Shoe...
REI has a broader sporting appeal. LL Bean is a bit stodgier.
LLBean has a much longer history than REI, dating back to 1912. I have been to their big store in Freeport and it is beautiful, but it is a commercial operation. REI on the other hand is a coop, very much like MEC in Canada. I have never been to an REI store but I assume that they are very much like the MEC stores I have been to here. Both REI and LLBean started out providing quality goods for active people, but at very different times. That they sell similar goods today isn't surprising. I have never thought of LLBean as being stodgy