L.L. Bean is currently facing a big problem that is both a blessing and a curse. For the third year in a row, their signature boots are backordered, with an estimated 50,000 people sitting in line for a pair.

The company has hired an additional 200 workers and procured an additional machine to make the rubber bottoms that give the boot its defining look. Even with the added workforce and machinery, they have been unable to curb much of the overwhelming demand.

With the release of the strikingly similar Yeezy 950 boot last month, it's easy to wonder whether Kanye West's influence has anything to do with these boots being so sought after . If you have a pair yourself, you might want to think about holding onto them.

You can read the in depth report on the shortage, and what L.L. Bean is doing to handle it over at The Boston Globe.