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Bass Pro buying Cabelas
- Thread starter Gamecock
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da gimp
Member
heck this is old news.... we talked about that here in a thread several weeks back. The KC, Mo. area has a huge Cabellas out by the big NASCAR racetrack just across the Kansas state line & also has one of the huge Bass Pro stores at the junction of I-470 & 291 highway between Blue Springs & Independence.
Both stores are fairly new, are in exc. shape and both are in good neighborhoods/areas. I have not heard if either is planned to be closed due to the merger.
Both stores are fairly new, are in exc. shape and both are in good neighborhoods/areas. I have not heard if either is planned to be closed due to the merger.
ChattanoogaPhil
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Geeeesh... in our area Bass Pro Shop just finished building a store right across the highway from Cabela's which was built a year earlier.
Been to both... a lot of foot traffic but not many leaving carrying a package. The only time I've purchased anything was from Cabela's online and shipped to their store for free. Works good for low priced online sale items.
Been to both... a lot of foot traffic but not many leaving carrying a package. The only time I've purchased anything was from Cabela's online and shipped to their store for free. Works good for low priced online sale items.
da gimp
Member
Cabela's Gun Library in the Ks. store is well staffed by knowledgeable, polite folks. I didn't understand why Bass Pro bought Cabela's when so many of their stores are in direct competition with each other.
In the KC, Mo. Bass Pro, they will not trade on any firearm as they do not have a gunsmith to assess/check out possible trades. Their corporate policy was no one but a gunsmith was allowed to check out used guns, no matter what it was. I suspect that fairly often, their staff members cherry pick any firearms brought in to be traded.
In the KC, Mo. Bass Pro, they will not trade on any firearm as they do not have a gunsmith to assess/check out possible trades. Their corporate policy was no one but a gunsmith was allowed to check out used guns, no matter what it was. I suspect that fairly often, their staff members cherry pick any firearms brought in to be traded.
We already have a Cabela's here in Greenville, SC. A Bass Pro was to be built a few miles down the road. It was supposed to be finished last spring, but has not even started. I guess this is the reason.
Despite my weird love/hate relationship with Cabela's, the fact is that I've spent a ****-ton of money with them since the Massachusetts "Mini-Cabela's" opened in March of 2015. As weird and discouraging and sometimes even bizarre as they can be (in large part due to "Massachusetts"), they are still way better than Bass Pro on just about every level. The truth is that I almost never shop at Bass Pro even though they are much closer and more convenient to my current home than our Mini-Cabela's. 
The good news (for me anyway) is that I really don't need them anymore if I ever did.
I am now in great shape ammo-wise having accumulated a stash that will probably last me the rest of my sorry, dwindling life. 
I also own almost every interesting or semi-interesting Ma-compliant handgun that our local Mini-Cabela's sells. The selection there is very limited due to "Massachusetts" and due to terrible corporate decision making. They also don't sell any used handguns at all... due (again) to "Massachusetts" and inexplicable corporate fears. 
So will I miss them and start shopping at Bass Pro?
Nope. Not in the least. 
The good news (for me anyway) is that I really don't need them anymore if I ever did.
I am now in great shape ammo-wise having accumulated a stash that will probably last me the rest of my sorry, dwindling life. I also own almost every interesting or semi-interesting Ma-compliant handgun that our local Mini-Cabela's sells. The selection there is very limited due to "Massachusetts" and due to terrible corporate decision making. They also don't sell any used handguns at all... due (again) to "Massachusetts" and inexplicable corporate fears. So will I miss them and start shopping at Bass Pro?
Nope. Not in the least. 
Great stores for window shopping!
I have found a couple nice S&W's in Cabelas over the years and always great for visiting and you may get a deal. I have a much lower opinion of Bass Pro Shop's as most I have been into have 80% clothing and furniture, 15% boats and fishing tackle, and 5% firearms and accessories. The last one I was in (in Denver only a few years old) has no reloading equipment or supplies, and a very limited selection of firearms and the guns themselves are the usual flavor of the month big box items. I drive past any Bass Pro, but I do stop for Cabelas. I do understand Cabelas was in deep financial problems.
muddocktor
Member
This doesn't directly affect me as the closest of either to me is 70+ miles away from me (Bass Pro) in Baton Rouge. I think they have a Cabella's around Gonzales, LA, which is halfway between BR and New Orleans and even further away. I've never been to the Cabella's and only once to BP, to pick up some overpriced powder I ordered online back when powder was so hard to come by. I wasn't overly impressed with their gun section of the store then.
cmort666
Member
I've never been in a Bass Pro.
We JUST got a brand new Cabela's in Avon last(?) month.
I hope this doesn't turn into a repeat of when Dick's Sporting Goods bought out another MUCH better chain and turned their decent firearms department into a Zumboized, metrosexual Fud-land.
We JUST got a brand new Cabela's in Avon last(?) month.
I hope this doesn't turn into a repeat of when Dick's Sporting Goods bought out another MUCH better chain and turned their decent firearms department into a Zumboized, metrosexual Fud-land.
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Go to Gander Mountain . . . they don't even have foot traffic.
It is all probably because of Internet sales and auction sites.
People shop from their couch now and its a battle to compete.
Both of these stores have jumped in halfway on the net, but still have the brick and mortar overhead to deal with.
I think financially, mergers are what keep them afloat.
Unfortunately, that's how they deal with it, instead of healthy competitive prices and products.
People shop from their couch now and its a battle to compete.
Both of these stores have jumped in halfway on the net, but still have the brick and mortar overhead to deal with.
I think financially, mergers are what keep them afloat.
Unfortunately, that's how they deal with it, instead of healthy competitive prices and products.
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kraynky
Member
I seldom buy much in either one, as the closest on them is about 60-70 miles away. I have found the Cabela's near me (70 miles) usually has a pretty good price on primers. But that's about all I buy. Locally they are all CCI or Winchester primers at $35-$40 per 1,000. Cabela's normally sells Sellier Bellot's for about $25. Outside of that, not much use for their overpriced merchandise. Maybe the merger will help???? Naaa.......
Seems like Cabelas was ahead of its time 30 years ago in having a lot less overhead than it does now.Building all those brick and mortar stores doesn't make sense to me at all
Fishinfool
Member
I like Cabelas. Always a great place to visit, even if you're not buying anything that day. Certainly a step up from Bass Pro.
They always have a great selection in every department, and the quality of their products is very good. Expensive sometimes, yes. But if you need something outdoor related, they usually have it.
I have come across some very good deals at the Hamburg, PA stores gun library.
Larry
They always have a great selection in every department, and the quality of their products is very good. Expensive sometimes, yes. But if you need something outdoor related, they usually have it.
I have come across some very good deals at the Hamburg, PA stores gun library.
Larry
Ben_hutcherson
Member
I've bought a LOT of guns from Cabelas. Our local gun library is staffed with very knowledgeable folks who know everything from fine doubles to Iver Johnsons. I've managed to develop several good relationships with the management in the gun department and do occasionally get to "preview" items about to go out for sale. They also often give me a call when something that would interest me comes in.
Ours is always busy.
Bass Pro is across the river(in Indiana) and I've been there plenty but it always feels dead. At least as per something I looked up a while back, this particular store is one of the largest(by square footage) in the country.
After being in several of each store, BPS can't really touch Cabelas at least when it comes to guns and shooting.
Also, I'm sorry to read that the "Worlds Foremost Bank" is going to be bought out as part of the deal. IMO, despite being a store credit card, they have by far and away the best service of any credit card I've dealt with. Every time I've talked to them, I've felt like I was sitting in an office at my local bank.
Ours is always busy.
Bass Pro is across the river(in Indiana) and I've been there plenty but it always feels dead. At least as per something I looked up a while back, this particular store is one of the largest(by square footage) in the country.
After being in several of each store, BPS can't really touch Cabelas at least when it comes to guns and shooting.
Also, I'm sorry to read that the "Worlds Foremost Bank" is going to be bought out as part of the deal. IMO, despite being a store credit card, they have by far and away the best service of any credit card I've dealt with. Every time I've talked to them, I've felt like I was sitting in an office at my local bank.
cmort666
Member
You go to Cabela's for selection, not a deal.
The one that just opened in Avon, has by far, the best selection of ammunition in NE Ohio, rivaled only by Fin, Feather and Fur.
I worry that that selection might be coming to an end..
The one that just opened in Avon, has by far, the best selection of ammunition in NE Ohio, rivaled only by Fin, Feather and Fur.
I worry that that selection might be coming to an end..
Ranger17
Member
I actually like our going to our Cabelas store, built last year and only 10 mins from my home. Have made some decent purchases there, and the grandson always likes walking around seeing the fish and the mounts (gives me a good excuse to go back often lol).
We also have a somewhat newer Gander nearby, but yes once Cab was built the traffic at Gander really dropped. I mainly go there now as it is the range I use.
Just hope that there aren't many changes to what Cabelas offers (that I buy anyhow) but it wouldn't surprise me either....
We also have a somewhat newer Gander nearby, but yes once Cab was built the traffic at Gander really dropped. I mainly go there now as it is the range I use.
Just hope that there aren't many changes to what Cabelas offers (that I buy anyhow) but it wouldn't surprise me either....
I don't like this for selfish reasons....we don't have a Cabela's physically located in TN (couple of stores just across the state line) so we don't have to pay sales tax on items ordered over the internet. This sale to Bass-Pro may change that and I'm not happy.
Don
Don
