Aren’t we fortunate to have so many day trip opportunities within an hour’s drive from the seacoast?? We had heard only wonderful things about the Merrimack Premium Outlets, so craving an adventure, we hopped in the car and drove an hour to see what all the buzz was about…

You might be wondering why we would drive an hour to Merrimack, New Hampshire when the Kittery Outlets are so close by? Here’s why it’s worth a visit!

      

Upon arrival to the Merrimack Premium outlets on a recent sunny afternoon, we were struck by the natural beauty of the plaza. Perfectly planted on top of a hill, the complex was beautifully manicured and the grounds were clean and well taken care of. The layout had a ‘neighborhood-y’ feel, with storefronts that resembled homes, and mom and pop shops with a small town charm. Along the outskirts, we peered beyond the parking lot and saw a stunning scene in the distance… were we in the White Mountains?? Gazebos, benches, gardens, and birch trees lined the walkways and patios; we were certainly shopping in style!

      

As we strolled, something caught our attention. We were surrounded by “big-box” American retailers, but quickly noticed that many of these brands came from strong New England ties. Drawing these connections also also made us realize that New England sure celebrates its shoe brands!

      

Below we list some of the New England-based businesses we stumbled upon at the Merrimack Premium Outlets, that were either founded in, or currently headquartered in, New England. It’s a pretty fascinating list, don’t you think??

      

Barbour – based in England, its only U.S. Headquarters is located in Milford, New Hampshire.

G. H. Bass & Co.  – founded in 1876 in Wilton, Maine.

Cole Haan – headquarterd in Greenland, New Hampshire.

Converse – founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts.

Lindt Chocolate – based in Switzerland, Lindt’s only US factory is located in Stratham, New Hampshire.

New Balance – founded in 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Nike – its first east coast factory opened in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Reebok – headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.

Saucony – headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Sperry – headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Timberland – founded in Boston, moved to the Newmarket Mills, and is now headquartered in Stratham, New Hampshire!

Vineyard Vines – founded in Martha’s Vineyard, now headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.

Yankee Candle – Founded in and currently headquartered in western Massachusetts.

      

Are you feeling proud to be a New Englander, knowing that all of these successful businesses maintain strong ties here? We certainly are!

xx

Maggie