LL Bean to Cut 200 Jobs, Close Lewiston Call Center in 2021

LL Bean will cut 200 jobs by the end of February and plans to close the Lewiston Call Center next year, as part of its reorganization.

A company spokesperson told WGME-TV that the layoffs will affect full and part-time employees in several areas of their operation. In Maine, LL Bean has retail stores in Bangor and Ellsworth, manufacturing facilities in Lewiston and Brunswick, as well as the flagship store, corporate headquarters, and distribution center, all located in Freeport. The layoffs will be taking affect at the end of the month. Once the cuts have been made, LL Bean will employ about 3,500 year-round employees in Maine, and 5,200 world-wide. Company officials say not all of the 200 employees affected by the layoffs will be in Maine.

In Lewiston, LL Bean plans to close the call center in 2021. The 130 employees have been offered similar positions at LL Bean's Portland call center, or the option to work from home after the closure. Company officials have been working to streamline the operation after a couple of years of flat sales prior to 2018. After some consideration about moving its corporate headquarters out of Freeport last year, the decision was made to renovate the current location.