An outlet store, factory outlet or factory store is a brick and mortar or online store where manufacturers sell their merchandise directly to the public. Products at outlet stores are usually sold at reduced prices compared to regular stores due to being overstock, closeout, factory seconds, or lower-quality versions manufactured specifically for outlets. Traditionally, a factory outlet was a store attached to a factory or warehouse, sometimes allowing customers to watch the production process, such as in the original L.L. Bean store. In modern usage, outlet stores are typically manufacturer-branded stores such as Gap or Bon Worth grouped together in outlet malls. The invention of the factory outlet store is often credited to Harold Alfond, founder of the Dexter Shoe Company.
The Nebraska Crossing Outlets Mall (Gretna, Nebraska, 2004)
Merrimack Premium Outlets in New Hampshire in 2012
L.L.Bean is an American privately held retail company that was founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean. The company, headquartered in the place in which it was founded, in Freeport, Maine, specializes in clothing and outdoor recreation equipment.
L.L.Bean store in Yonkers, New York
A former L.L.Bean store at The Mall in Columbia, c. 2009
An L.L.Bean boot sculpture outside flagship store in Freeport, Maine
An L.L.Bean store at Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh