Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 9 N OV E M B E R 2 6 , 2 0 1 8 Retailer finds bricks-and-mortar sites pay dividends B y M a u r e e n M i l l i k e n South portland — The 1.5 acre lot on Maine Mall road next to the Maine Turnpike was prime for development — and Andrew Ingalls of Malone Commercial Brokers knew it. Potential buyers, on the other hand, shied away and the listing languished. "I had it listed for a long time, we showed it to a lot of people," Ingalls told Mainebiz. "There were some bites, but nothing." Then two years ago, Duluth Trading Co.'s development partner Oppidan called. The developers for Wisconsin-based Duluth Trading, which is expanding nationwide, "understood what could be done there," Ingalls said. It paid $740,000 for the 1.5-acre parcel, closing on April 20. Ingalls repre- sented the seller, and Atlantic Retail Properties represented the buyer. In early November, Maine's first Duluth Trading store opened on the spot in a 12,950-square-foot new building. The retailer sells outdoor apparel and accessories, competing for many of the same customers as L.L.Bean, Carhartt, Orvis, Eddie Bauer and Cabela's — all of which have brick-and-mortar retail stores in Maine. Its location, at 55 Maine Mall Road, puts it into a high-traffic retail area. With the South Portland location, Duluth Trading now has 45 stores and its first north of Massachusetts. Duluth Trading Co. (NASDAQ: DLTH) said earlier this year it plans to open 100 stores across the United States in five years. The retailer, which started in Duluth, Minn., is now headquartered in Mount Horeb, Wisc. Bricks and mortar paying dividends Kenneth Lewis, district manager for Duluth Trading's East Coast operations, said he's asked frequently about why the company, which started as a catalog-sales retailer, is opening stores while other retailers are closing stores. "We've established a customer base all over the U.S.," Lewis said. The base is familiar with the company's inventory and a store is a natural offshoot. Lewis said that the company, which specializes in heavy-duty jackets, shirts and pants suitable for a plumber or lineman having to climb a telephone pole. Men, Lewis said, tend to shop differently than women. They want to see the item, to touch it, feel the quality of it. Longtime catalog and online customers are enthusiastic when they first come to an actual store. "It's like Christmas," Lewis said. He said the company's focus is on workwear, and while fashionable, it's also functional. That separates it from from other outdoors-focused brands like Carhartt, Cabela's, Orvis, Eddie Bauer or L.L.Bean, he says. Lewis insists Duluth Trading has its own space. "We really don't have any competitors," he said. "L.L.Bean is a great brand, but our customers will shop at both stores." The company's catalog customer base in Maine is strong, and the company, with its bricks-and-mortar expansion, thought Maine would be a good fit. "Maine people are hard-working people," he said. "They're working at the docks, in construction, they work hard and they love what they do." He said that, too, makes Maine a good fit for the brand. bernsteinshur.com Bernstein Shur congratulates Judge Louis Kornreich upon his admission as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. We are proud to announce this highest honor that can be bestowed upon a member of the legal profession working in business restructuring and insolvency. Congratulations. Discover products and services designed to help Maine businesses thrive. (207) 221-5527 | GorhamSavings.Bank/Business ...Could Be T he Star t Of Something special. It's not how big your bank is, it's how much your bank believes in you. B R I E F P H O T O / P E T E R VA N A L L E N The Duluth Trading Co. store at 55 Maine Mall Road has drawn a steady stream of customers since it opened.

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