[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10840]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING L.L. BEAN

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                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 29, 2012

  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize L.L. Bean on the 
occasion of its 100th anniversary.
  It was one century ago that Leon Leonwood Bean sent out his first 
shipment of Maine hunting shoes. Defects in the shoe's initial design 
caused individuals to return 90 pairs of those shoes. Undeterred, Bean 
provided the purchasers with full refunds, corrected the design flaws 
and set back to work marketing his products. This commitment to 
customer satisfaction has been the cornerstone of L.L. Bean's success 
throughout the last 100 years. Not only does their customer 
satisfaction guarantee remain in effect, but L.L. Bean's store in 
Freeport, Maine is still open to visitors 24 hours a day, 365 days a 
year.
  L.L. Bean has since grown to become a global retail giant. The 
company achieved over $1.52 billion in sales last year while providing 
over 4,900 full-time jobs. Shoppers can visit any one of the retail or 
outlet stores located throughout the United States and Japan, or 
purchase quality products online. Despite its success in appealing to 
consumers from all over the world, L.L. Bean is beloved for retaining 
its uniquely Maine character.
  From July 4th to 7th, L.L. Bean will be celebrating its 100th 
anniversary with music, parades, and a fireworks display. I am pleased 
to be one of the countless individuals throughout Maine who will be 
congratulating L.L. Bean, and all of its employees, on achieving this 
impressive milestone.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating L.L. Bean on its 
tremendous success over the last 100 years.

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