The L.L.Bean Bootmobile is heading to Erie.
The onetime pickup truck gussied up as an iconic L.L.Bean boot will be kicking around Erie May 15-17.
The Bootmobile will make surprise stops in the area in advance of the L.L.Bean store opening at Erie Marketplace, at 6718 Peach St. in Summit Township, in June.
And it will return to Erie in the weeks leading up to the grand opening.
Boot(mobile)s on the ground
L.L.Bean’s first product, way back in 1912, was the Maine hunting shoe, actually boots with leather uppers and rubber bottoms.
The company’s first Bootmobile was created in the image of those boots in 2012 in celebration of the store’s 100th anniversary.
This is one of three L.L.Bean Bootmobiles. One will cruise Erie at times this spring.
The 13-foot-high, 20-foot-long rolling L.L.Bean ambassador was built of aluminum and fiberglass around a GMC Sierra truck. To give you an idea of its scale, the boot laces were made from a 12-strand braided mooring rope. And its hypothetical wearer would be 143 feet tall, or 32 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Boot size: 708.
A second Bootmobile hit the road in 2013 and a third in 2019.
Together they’ve scooted more than 350,000 miles, appearing at hundreds of events in 25 states, two countries and on dozens of college campuses.
Boots bearing gifts
The Maine-based L.L.Bean outdoor lifestyle store is sending something else to Erie. The company is donating $10,000 to the Glenwood Park YMCA for youth programs.
“In line with its purpose to enable people to experience the restorative power of being outside, this contribution increases access to outdoor experiences through summer camp programming,” L.L.Bean spokeswoman Maddie Sepulveda said.
Since 2022, L.L.Bean has given more than $2.25 million to YMCAs nationwide to fund summer camp scholarships.
The L.L.Bean store at Erie Marketplace on upper Peach Street is shown. The store is scheduled to open in June in the former Bed, Bath & Beyond location.
The grant to the Glenwood YMCA will be presented during the store’s grand opening ceremonies in June, on a date to be announced.
Coming in June: L.L.Bean prepares for opening of Erie Marketplace store
More information on the Bootmobile visits and Erie store opening will be available on the L.L.Bean website.
Contact Valerie Myers at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: L.L.Bean Bootmobile is on ground in Erie in advance of store opening
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