Leon Leonwood Bean

Leon Leonwood Bean (1872-1967) was an inventor, author, outdoor enthusiast, and founder of the company L.L. Bean.Infobox Person
name = L. L. Bean


image_size = 150px
birth_name = Leon Leonwood Bean
birth_date = November 13, 1872
death_date = February 5, 1967
birth_place =
nationality = American
occupation = CEO, Inventor and Author
website = [http://llbean.com L.L.Bean]
footnotes =

History

Bean was born in the town of Greenwood, Maine [cite news
coauthors =
title = Biography of Leon Leonwood Bean
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Swiftpapers.com
url = http://www.swiftpapers.com/biographies/Leon_Leonwood_Bean-31730.html
accessdate = June 26] on November 13, 1872 to parents Benjamin Warren Bean and Sarah (Swett) Bean. [cite news
coauthors =
title = Leon Leonwood Bean Biography
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] He had five brothers. Bean's interest in business was shown early, with his first money earned when he was nine years old. He was told he could attend the local fair or sell steel traps to his father, and Bean decided to sell the traps. [cite news
coauthors =
title = Leon Leonwood Bean Biography
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] When Bean was 12 years of age, his parents died only four days apart from each other. He moved to South Paris, Maine to stay with family. When Bean was 13 years old, he killed and sold his first deer. His education was limited. Bean's schooling outside of public school include only one semester at Hebron Academy, and a course in business at Kent's Hill Academy. Bean paid for the limited amount of schooling he completed by himself. [cite news
coauthors =
title = The biography of Leon Leonwood Bean
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Answers.com
url = http://www.answers.com/topic/leon-leonwood-bean?nr=1&lsc=true
accessdate = June 26]

Foundation of L.L.Bean

Bean was an avid hunter and fisherman. In his outdoor activities he noticed that his boots would become soaked with water. Bean set out to resolve this inconvenience, and developed plans for a waterproof boot. The boot was a combination of lightweight leather for the upper part of the boot and rubber on the bottom [cite news
coauthors =
title = Leon Leonwood Bean Biography
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] . He brought the plans to a cobbler, and the first boots were made. Bean felt the boot produced to be of good quality, and obtained a list of non-resident Maine hunting license holders and prepared a descriptive mail order circular. He promised 100% money back for anyone who was unhappy with the boots. Because of this, Bean had to refund 90% of the costs of the first 100 sets of boots made, when the rubber on the bottom developed cracks [cite news
coauthors =
title = Leon Leonwood Bean Biography
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] . Bean seemed not to mind returning the money, and the popularity of the boots was clear. In 1911, Bean took out a loan in the amount of $400 and set off to Boston. In Boston, he offered the United States Rubber Company the remainder of his $400 to produce a better quality of boot for him. With the better quality boots available, Bean set up a boot shop in his brother's basement in Freeport, Maine. His skills and trials as an entrepreneur, along with his promise to return 100% money back on all items, where detailed by many local and national newspapers of the time. By 1917, he had sold enough of his boots to buy a dedicated building for his shop on the main street of Freeport. In 1918, Bean realised the important of patenting his invention. As the patent was granted, he moved on to inventing and improving more outdoor equipment and expanding his store to what L.L. Bean is today. [cite news
coauthors =
title = Leon Leonwood Bean Biography
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] .

As an author

Bean published a book in 1942, called "Hunting, Fishing and Camping" and an autobiography, in 1960, called "My Story: the Autobiography of a Down-East Merchant." [cite news
last = Carmichael
first = Evan
title = Famous Entrepreneurs, "Leon Leonwood Bean"
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = evancarmichael.com
url = http://www.evancarmichael.com/Famous-Entrepreneurs/1502/summary.php
accessdate = June 26] [cite news
title = Biography of "Leon Leonwood Bean"
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = bookrags.com
url = http://www.bookrags.com/biography/leon-leonwood-bean/
accessdate = June 26] .

Death and legacy

Bean died in Pompano Beach, Florida, on February 5, 1967, and was buried in Freeport's Webster Cemetery. [Rogak, Lisa (2004), "Stones and Bones of New England: A guide to unusual, historic, and otherwise notable cemeteries", Globe Pequat ISBN 07627-3000-5 ] At the time of his death, the annual sales of his company where in the hundreds of millions. His policy of giving 100% money back on returned products still applies today. [cite news
coauthors =
title = The biography of Leon Leonwood Bean
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = Answers.com
url = http://www.answers.com/topic/leon-leonwood-bean?nr=1&lsc=true
accessdate = June 26] . [cite news
coauthors =
title = L. L. Bean return policy.
work =
pages = 1
language = English
publisher = L. L. Bean
url = http://www.llbean.com/shop/returns/
accessdate = June 26]

Notes