FREEPORT — Maine entrepreneur Linda Bean has bought the former Bath & Body Works building across from the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport and plans to open a year-round destination restaurant that features local foods.
The project will mark an expansion of Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine franchise, which includes cafes in Camden, Port Clyde, Portland and Delray Beach, Fla., lobster wharves in midcoast Maine and a processing plant in Rockland.
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The 7,600-square-foot brick building is on the corner of Main and Bow streets. It was listed for $3.6 million, according to Greg Boulos, a partner at CBRE/The Boulos Co., although the sale price wasn’t released today. The property was sold by George Denney, founder of Cole Haan Footwear. It includes a 25-car parking lot on Depot Street.
Bean, the grandaughter of L.L. Bean, began serving food in Freeport three years ago with a take-out window. She added an umbrella cafe last year on the roof of Ben & Jerry’s, next to the Bean store.
Linda Bean has been talking with Pineland Farms in New Gloucester about carrying fresh food products from the operation, including vegetables and cheese at her new restaurant. The restaurant could open by spring, according to Boulos.
“Linda purchased the best retail corner in Freeport and one of the best in the entire state of Maine,” he said.
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