It had to happen, sooner or later. They took down the Cabela's sign to replace it with the Bass Pro sign. They claim the only things that will change is the sign out front and the color of the employee's shirts. We shall see.
Won't be shopping at Cabela's anymore.
- Thread starter lihpster
- Start date
AJ
US Veteran
Pretty soon even the LGS will be a Bass Pro Shop!! Cabelas, Gander Mountain and who else have been bought up?
I thought the same thing and got over it. I rarely leave empty handed on my weekly visits.
Just be thankful you have such a nice amenity.
OP
I thought the same thing and got over it. I rarely leave empty handed on my weekly visits.
Oh, believe me I am appreciative. We don't have a lot of choices when it comes to sporting goods. Pretty much it's them, Dick's or smaller independents.
Still, I'm gonna miss Cabela's. When I was a kid I found some postage paid postcards and sent them to all the places that advertised in the back of Sports Afield and Outdoor Life and asked them to send catalogs. One of them was Cabela's. We've been ordering or shopping with them ever since. That was 1980. 45 years of patronage. We used to get the big hardbound book of a catalog twice a year. They didn't open the store here until 2014. Before that I remember my dad calling them on the phone and ordering. He usually had a pretty good chat with The Lady on the Phone. 2-4 weeks later, the brown truck would show up with the goodies.
When my parents took an RV trip to the East, can't go far to the west, they put Nebraska on their itinerary for 2 things. The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron and Cabela's in Sidney. What I called The Temple of Cabelacism.
Boots, boats, bows and boomsticks, all were purchased from them. Sometimes we paid a higher price just because we liked dealing with them.
Of course, nowadays online ordering is king. But it's going that way for everything. Even banking. Or utilities.
Ahhh, heck. Just being nostalgic. One of the hazards of growing older.
I have several Cabela’s-branded items, and each is of the highest quality.
The brand will be missed.
The brand will be missed.
OP
The brand will be around, but the stores will be named Bass Pro. Bass Pro has said that they are well aware of the value of the brand.
Edit: As to the quality, again, we shall see.
AJ
US Veteran
We never dealt much with Cabela's as it was not in business yet when I was a kid. We used L.L.Bean, and I still have some stuff my Grandparents and Father ordered from them. Been to a couple of Cabela's and liked them. Hopefully Bass Pro will leave them as they are set up, but I doubt it.
The quality diminished not long after BassPro bought-out Cabela's in my opinion. Sad....I rarely even look at the their store brand items anymore.
Don
I was a faithful Cabela's shopper...firearms, ammo, fishing gear, clothing. One of my favorite items of clothing was Cabela's heavy chamois shirt. Top quality. When Bass Pro took over, the original heavy chamois shirts were no longer available. They had a substitute that wasn't even close. The closest thing to the Cabela's chamois shirt I've been able to find is the one from L.L. Bean.
So, the sign out front and the color of the employees' shirts aren't the only thing that has changed. At least that's my view from the saddle.
So, the sign out front and the color of the employees' shirts aren't the only thing that has changed. At least that's my view from the saddle.
SweetMK
Member
Our Gander Mountain (Roanoke VA) converted into a Camping World with the parking lot full of campers,
Ours is not the only one,, the Camping World TV ad shows a building identical to our converted GM..
The building is identical, but, the neighboring buildings are different,,
Ours is not the only one,, the Camping World TV ad shows a building identical to our converted GM..
The building is identical, but, the neighboring buildings are different,,
I’ve never been able to buy much from Cabela’s but I kind of hate to see the name go away. There are bound to be changes, but nothing much has survived for very long in the import-everything market.
OP
Very true. My father had a Cabela's brand wool cruiser coat that was awesome. He thought it was a little big for him, but it fit me fine. I lost it recently and was looking to replace it. Nothing of the sort from BP/C's. And for a similar high quality one from Filson etc... you're looking at $5-600. I finally settled on a wool jacket from Legendary Whitetails. Much cheaper, but less quality. Still a pretty good quality jacket though, just not as good.
OP
My mother cursed the day when those went away. Until then she had a guaranteed hit Christmas present for her husband and 3 boys. Every year. We even started picking out our colors beforehand.
I stopped at the Cabela's in Lone Tree the other day on my way home from the VA (Rocky Mountain Regional AKA Fitzsimons). I did not get halfway through the door before one of these sales associates hit me up for a Cabela's Club credit card. She was like a used car salesman. I walked around the store for about 20 minutes just to look around. The prices were insane and it's a clothing store. It's not an Outfitter anymore it's clothing store.
I kept expecting to run into Mike Baxter.
I won't be back
I kept expecting to run into Mike Baxter.
I won't be back
The outdoor sporting goods stores have been going down hill ever since Herter's closed.
I used to make an hour drive to Cabellas to shop and really enjoyed the gun library. Never bought a firearm there but bought ammo and some fishing and other stuff. I was really an LLBean fanboy at the time as far as clothing and my hunting outfits are pretty much exclusive LLBean, especially when there was an outlet store next town over. I got some GREAT bargains there. They built a Bass Pro a couple towns away but I never really go there. High prices in my opinion. My buddy bought his new Pontoon Boat there however and it’s really nice (Tracker).
My parents both grew up in Sidney, NE so I've been a Cabelas shopper from the time I was little. I remember the boots I bought when their only brick-and-mortar store was in downtown Sidney. (And it actually was a brick building!)
Went to the grand opening of their super-store out by the interstate with my parents and my grandparents on my mother's side. That was quite an event for the folks in Sidney!
I was very sorry to see them get bought out.
Went to the grand opening of their super-store out by the interstate with my parents and my grandparents on my mother's side. That was quite an event for the folks in Sidney!
I was very sorry to see them get bought out.
husker51
Member
I remember back in the early 70’s when they were a catalog order co. My grandfather received the Cabela’s catalog. It was smaller then, about 8” x 5”. Then about 1987 I think it was, they opened up their first store in Kearney, Ne. There was a huge aquarium to the right, as you walked into the main store from the entry way. Several large fish native to Nebraska were kept in it, walleye, large mouth, smallmouth, channel cat and flathead catfish, white bass, crappie, bluegill, etc. we enjoyed takin our children there. There were many stuffed animals throughout the store. It was really something.
Then came store #2 at Sidney, NE. (1991) It was even greater! More aquariums, more stuffed animals and fish. More of everything!
They had great deals. I took advantage of their spend $500 get $150 off. I built up a 150 count flock of Canadian goose decoys that way. Bought a great Blue Diamond compound bow.
The store was fantastic when the Cabela’s family were majority stock holders.
When the family sold their ownership, the new owners began cutting the fat. The Kearney store took the brunt of the cuts first. The aquarium came out. The stuffed animals an fish on the wall, got thinned down. The bargain cave didn’t have real bargains anymore.
Since Bass Pros took over they have managed to cut even more fat, if you could call it that. My biggest gripe is when I go in and can’t find what I want in the store, the clerk will say “We can order it for you”, to which I reply “ I can do that myself”. There is no need for me to drive 120 miles to go to the store anymore. I used to spend more money when there was a reason to go there. Now I am sure I save money because I just order what I need and I am done. No more impulse buying. No more 240 mile round trip drive. No more spending money to eat out or taking my wife to other stores to spend more money. No wonder my checking account has been growing!
I miss that old business ideal of “What can we do for the customer?” Does anyone think that the baker’s dozen (donuts) will ever come back?
Then came store #2 at Sidney, NE. (1991) It was even greater! More aquariums, more stuffed animals and fish. More of everything!
They had great deals. I took advantage of their spend $500 get $150 off. I built up a 150 count flock of Canadian goose decoys that way. Bought a great Blue Diamond compound bow.
The store was fantastic when the Cabela’s family were majority stock holders.
When the family sold their ownership, the new owners began cutting the fat. The Kearney store took the brunt of the cuts first. The aquarium came out. The stuffed animals an fish on the wall, got thinned down. The bargain cave didn’t have real bargains anymore.
Since Bass Pros took over they have managed to cut even more fat, if you could call it that. My biggest gripe is when I go in and can’t find what I want in the store, the clerk will say “We can order it for you”, to which I reply “ I can do that myself”. There is no need for me to drive 120 miles to go to the store anymore. I used to spend more money when there was a reason to go there. Now I am sure I save money because I just order what I need and I am done. No more impulse buying. No more 240 mile round trip drive. No more spending money to eat out or taking my wife to other stores to spend more money. No wonder my checking account has been growing!
I miss that old business ideal of “What can we do for the customer?” Does anyone think that the baker’s dozen (donuts) will ever come back?
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-BTM-
Member
I don’t shop at BassPro, might go in to buy something specific if it’s on sale. Horrible customer service if you don’t know exactly what you want.
