Leon Leonwood Bean liked to hunt and fish in his beloved home of Maine much more than he liked to work. In fact, he spent so much time in the woods and streams that he initially failed as a clothing store owner. In 1913, however, the outdoorsman founded his now famous company, L. L. Bean, in Freeport, Maine. Bean's fortune changed after he invented the famous Maine Hunting Shoe, or "gum shoe," and began selling it through the mail. The uniqueness of the shoe was that it was waterproof. Bean made the top of the shoe leather and the bottom rubber, which prevented water from seeping in. Initially, Bean sold one hundred pairs of the boots, but ninety pairs were returned because the rubber bottoms came off. The owner founded L. L. Bean with the promise of a 100 percent money-back guarantee, so he refunded or replaced every pair of shoes.....
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