Wait, Wait...

This week, recorded live from Maine, the ‘Not My Job’ segment of the NPR quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, the guest is Stephen Smith, CEO of L.L. Bean.  It’s a fun, light-hearted conversation with host Peter Sagal about him getting hired for the job, as well as a funny exchange with the panel about the store’s open return policy.

A personal side note.  Back in 1989, I worked on the movie Pet Sematary, that filmed in Ellsworth, Maine, and one of my go-to spots was Freeport, Maine, a town that is literally made up of outlet stores sprouting everywhere.  And the centerpiece of Freeport is the corporate store of L.L. Bean which is open 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with an outlet store connected to it.  The main Bean store is huge, and my favorite thing there was that they actually had a cobbler working on shoes out in the open for people to watch.  I still have a great bathrobe and cashmere vest sweater that I bought at the Bean Outlet for peanuts that are both in great condition.  (In fairness, I don’t wear them regularly, because I want to keep them in great condition…)   Even though the drive was about 2-1/4 hours each way, and I don’t like driving, I nonetheless made the drive several times – and once stayed at Bean’s browsing around until probably 11 PM, just because the store was so wonderful and fun, and it was a treat being in a store so late without worrying about hearing an announcement that it would be closing so.  All the while knowing that I had a 2-1/4 hour drive back.