Went to the local Cabela's(Billings) today. The best that can be said about the visit is Wow...Since Bass Pro bought the company it's sure gone downhill. They had no..none reloading items. Did have a few dies etc..10 dollar Lee shell holders etc. no reloading supplies at all. The only thing I found in there was some 3 inch Herter's 410 shotshells...and they weren't cheap...15 dollars a box. I bought the only three they had...and not even for me. A friend asked me to look out for some 3 inchers over a year ago. I must admit...Scheel's outperforms Cabela's by a large margin. It's sad!
Cabela's
- Thread starter Skeet 028
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I know exactly how you feel!
My wife's family is from the area near Hamburg, PA: home of the largest Cabela's retail store in the nation. When that place opened (maybe 20 years ago?) it was huge and impressive. Besides a comprehensive inventory of so much reloading gear, even touching on high end benchrest stuff, it was just a beautiful place. People came from several states away, filling the local hotels just to shop there. And, it wasn't just gun stuff. They had nice clothing too.
Now it's like you said: nothing!
Of course, it's stocked with cheesy plastic junk from China, frumpy clothes, and gimmicks (toys, novelties, snack food).
What really irks me, is seeing former "American" brands like Lyman, Lee, and even RCBS selling products all marked "Made in China"!
But, if you think that's bad, you should see what happened to the town of Sidney, Nebraska where they were headquartered. Totally decimated! The lucky ones bailed early, sold their houses and split. Now, the real estate values have completely collapsed. Former employees are trapped there. They've got no jobs or prospects and their houses are worthless.
It's easy to blame Bass Pro but they were just the puppet. Mostly, they can thank Elliott Management hedge fund company.
They bought up a huge share of Cabela's stock for cheap, orchestrated the merger to drive up stock prices, then within one week sold out at a huge profit.
It's a story worth investigating because we didn't just lose a great company. Rather, it's symptomatic of the real danger facing the American way of life.
My wife's family is from the area near Hamburg, PA: home of the largest Cabela's retail store in the nation. When that place opened (maybe 20 years ago?) it was huge and impressive. Besides a comprehensive inventory of so much reloading gear, even touching on high end benchrest stuff, it was just a beautiful place. People came from several states away, filling the local hotels just to shop there. And, it wasn't just gun stuff. They had nice clothing too.
Now it's like you said: nothing!
Of course, it's stocked with cheesy plastic junk from China, frumpy clothes, and gimmicks (toys, novelties, snack food).
What really irks me, is seeing former "American" brands like Lyman, Lee, and even RCBS selling products all marked "Made in China"!
But, if you think that's bad, you should see what happened to the town of Sidney, Nebraska where they were headquartered. Totally decimated! The lucky ones bailed early, sold their houses and split. Now, the real estate values have completely collapsed. Former employees are trapped there. They've got no jobs or prospects and their houses are worthless.
It's easy to blame Bass Pro but they were just the puppet. Mostly, they can thank Elliott Management hedge fund company.
They bought up a huge share of Cabela's stock for cheap, orchestrated the merger to drive up stock prices, then within one week sold out at a huge profit.
It's a story worth investigating because we didn't just lose a great company. Rather, it's symptomatic of the real danger facing the American way of life.
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Scharfschuetzer
Member
I agree totally. Bass Pro and Elliot Management destroyed a fine sporting goods empire. I no longer bother to shop there.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I had a Cabela's Club Visa, that went to Capital One with the break up. The Cabela's/Bass Pro employees didn't properly receive one payment in 14 attempts! The card office was outside Salt Lake City, and was like talking to kindergarteners! The only good expierance I had was the phone call to cancel the card! (That was very professional!)
Before I closed the card (pre panic) I used my points to buy IMR 4227 (last 3 pounds the Columbus store ever saw!)
I was wasting time looking for a holster for an N-Frame. Over 300 holsters, not one for any revolver bigger than a J-Frame! Only 410 ammo was slugs (Not legal for hunting in Ohio!, well you could hunt ground hogs)
So I walked over to the camping section, they used to have Coleman replacement latches for "Steel Belted Coolers", but sold out over 2 years ago. I find the Store manager and ask when there will be more. "Oh, probably with the Spring Shipment" Well none came in the last two Springs! Oh, you must have missed them. No I didn't! "The hook and tag are still there, let's just see what the bar code reader says? Hugh, not a valid number. Let's look it up on the computer, Hugh, not carried for 4 years."
I will say this, when Bass Pro took over, and got rid of the good merchandise, We got my wife some real nice Red Wing boots for about $150 off the normal Cabela's price. You can't have good stuff making the current junk look bad!
Ivan
Before I closed the card (pre panic) I used my points to buy IMR 4227 (last 3 pounds the Columbus store ever saw!)
I was wasting time looking for a holster for an N-Frame. Over 300 holsters, not one for any revolver bigger than a J-Frame! Only 410 ammo was slugs (Not legal for hunting in Ohio!, well you could hunt ground hogs)
So I walked over to the camping section, they used to have Coleman replacement latches for "Steel Belted Coolers", but sold out over 2 years ago. I find the Store manager and ask when there will be more. "Oh, probably with the Spring Shipment" Well none came in the last two Springs! Oh, you must have missed them. No I didn't! "The hook and tag are still there, let's just see what the bar code reader says? Hugh, not a valid number. Let's look it up on the computer, Hugh, not carried for 4 years."
I will say this, when Bass Pro took over, and got rid of the good merchandise, We got my wife some real nice Red Wing boots for about $150 off the normal Cabela's price. You can't have good stuff making the current junk look bad!
Ivan
Pointblank2U
US Veteran
Same experience here in Ohio. I used to have a Cabelas Card and would buy a lot from them. They built a local store up here in the Cleveland area a couple of years ago and I never go there anymore.
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
Though Cabela's was always the least useful to me of the local big-box stores, careful shopping could find the occasional value. Besides a few guns, their sales on Herter's brand .38/.357, by Fiocchi, was my go-to source for case-lot orders.
Now, with a different Herter's source, and all the trigger guards installed, I don't have much use for them.
I cancelled their "Club" card a while ago.
Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk
Now, with a different Herter's source, and all the trigger guards installed, I don't have much use for them.
I cancelled their "Club" card a while ago.
Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk
Capt. F.
Member
Same story here in Maine.
When I was President of the saltwater guides association I approached them about a guides discount. It took all of 15 minutes to get 55 guides signed up. We spent literally thousands of dollars on fishing gear and our boats became floating billboards for Cabelas.
That ended with the merger and all discounts stopped.
Today very few if any of the guides shop there and the store is reminiscent of walking through a ghost town.
In addition, the employees we dealt with on a regular basis, especially those in management positions, were extremely knowledgeable, but at merger we're the first to be let go.
Sad day for a once great store.
When I was President of the saltwater guides association I approached them about a guides discount. It took all of 15 minutes to get 55 guides signed up. We spent literally thousands of dollars on fishing gear and our boats became floating billboards for Cabelas.
That ended with the merger and all discounts stopped.
Today very few if any of the guides shop there and the store is reminiscent of walking through a ghost town.
In addition, the employees we dealt with on a regular basis, especially those in management positions, were extremely knowledgeable, but at merger we're the first to be let go.
Sad day for a once great store.
sad but true.. Cabelas is a shadow of its former self.. wish the family still owned it... and here in Nebraska it hurts just a bit more.
On a hunting trip to Texas last fall we stopped at several Cabela's stores along the way. Some had Gun Libraries some didn't. The one store that did had nothing but a couple of overpriced SXS shotguns and one pre 64 M70 the rest of the guns were black guns. I ran a Gun Library in Minnesota 2004-2005 and the AR style weapons never made it in the Gun Library. I used whatever points I had on my club card on 22 shells.
I don't shop there anymore.
I don't shop there anymore.
double-dipper
Member
Sad thing is, Johnny Morris is still the majority owner of BassPro and Cabela's and could convert them from a clothing store back into a outdoor sporting goods store.
I seldom shop at a Cabela's or BP, I like Scheels better, family/employee owned.
I seldom shop at a Cabela's or BP, I like Scheels better, family/employee owned.
The only reason I went in there is because my wife and I had just been in Sam's club which is right next door and hope springs eternal and ya just have to take a chance. I doubt I'll go back. BTW I've been to many of the stores in the past. Liked the Hamburg Store but it was 4 hours from home. Only store I teied to buy a gun from and was denied . I left wondering WTH? Got a contact with the Pa nics and asked why? They wouldn't say..so I told 'em I had a Pa explosives license and transport license as well as a Pa carry permit. Woman told me it was impossible. Gave her the numbers and all of a sudden I was HEALED. Told me I could go back and pick the gun up...right. She said Cabela's had "messed up"...not them. Not Cabela's fault. I used to use the original CC card I had for most purchases everywhere. Not any longer. Card is in the safe now. And I found I had a credit line of 40 grand. WHAT?? BTW I do not like Capital One. When I reduced the credit line to 5000 they told me I couldn't increase it for 90 days. No Stuff Sherlock!
When the credit card was Cabela's you could use your points toward what your balance was, not so now that Bass Pro has taken over. I'm a long way from a store and don't really do any on line shopping. The card is of no value to me anymore.
The Norseman
Member
Plastic Independence
All interesting stories, thank you for sharing.
Last Fall I received a Capital One letter stating
I have not used my Cabela's Capital One Credit
Card in over 2 years, and they were discontinuing
it in January 2022.
Didn't break my heart! I only have one Credit Card
now and that's fantastic.
All interesting stories, thank you for sharing.
Last Fall I received a Capital One letter stating
I have not used my Cabela's Capital One Credit
Card in over 2 years, and they were discontinuing
it in January 2022.
Didn't break my heart! I only have one Credit Card
now and that's fantastic.
How about Gander Mountain?
Once upon a time Gander Mountain was largely a mail order house and sent catalogs via the U.S. Mail. In a former life I lived northwest of Chicago and their "home" store was not far away in Wilmot, Wisconsin. I used to make pilgrimages there regularly and even purchased firearms for transfer back to Illinois. Great "little" store and their prices, both in the store and in their catalog, were among the best in their business.
And we all know what happened to Gander Mountain don't we?!
Once upon a time Gander Mountain was largely a mail order house and sent catalogs via the U.S. Mail. In a former life I lived northwest of Chicago and their "home" store was not far away in Wilmot, Wisconsin. I used to make pilgrimages there regularly and even purchased firearms for transfer back to Illinois. Great "little" store and their prices, both in the store and in their catalog, were among the best in their business.
And we all know what happened to Gander Mountain don't we?!
Same sad story here in Hazelwood Missouri. In addition to the merchandising issues, what few employees that remain are unmotivated and uninterested in the customer. Nobody knows what they have or where it is located. And always too few checkout lanes open. I stop off there every once in a while on my way to the gun range. I only check the gun library because sometimes they get something interesting. Every time I almost hope they don't have something I would like cause I know the painful and long ordeal it would take to process a transaction.
Over the past twelve months I've filled out several customer surveys and always check the box that asks ifI would like to contacting by someone in management. Then………crickets.
Over the past twelve months I've filled out several customer surveys and always check the box that asks ifI would like to contacting by someone in management. Then………crickets.
I am friends with a retired fisheries biologist. At one time he was doing over $100,000 a year with Cabelas. He had a black card and found it had been compromised. He notified Cabelas and they told him it would be a week to ten days for a replacement. He asked about sooner and when they saw it was a black card overnighted one to him with a Sunday morning delivery.
He still gets some deals on fishing stuff there. It is now a living example that the largest mark-up in sporting goods is in clothing.
He still gets some deals on fishing stuff there. It is now a living example that the largest mark-up in sporting goods is in clothing.
Last Fall I received a Capital One letter stating
I have not used my Cabela's Capital One Credit
Card in over 2 years, and they were discontinuing
it in January 2022
I had the same thing happen when Costco used American Express. I hadn't used it in over a year Sent me a dear John letter and broke up with me.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
len917
Member
Was at Cabelas yesterday (thread posted Target Sports...). It did have ammo- crazy prices. I did see Aguila 22lr 40 gr for $43.00/500ct should have bought 2 boxes to add to my 1000 cci Mini Mag collection.
I did have a Cabelas card at one time. I will not get any credit card by Capital One!!
I do live about 45 min from Hamburg PA store, it is fantastic. Used to take grandkids there before Christmas, it was a day out.
We also have a Sportsmans Warehouse near us and also is empty in the reloading dept.
I did have a Cabelas card at one time. I will not get any credit card by Capital One!!
I do live about 45 min from Hamburg PA store, it is fantastic. Used to take grandkids there before Christmas, it was a day out.
We also have a Sportsmans Warehouse near us and also is empty in the reloading dept.
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Four years ago, it was a great place to go for all my "Sporting needs".
Today they don't stock hardly any ammo and very few reloading items,
which I don't understand, if they want to sell ALL the guns that have on hand !!
I at one time, told my friends to give me Cabela's gift cards for Christams
but that has been cancelled as of two years ago, do to lack of items.
Even their fishing items are very high in price.
Plus one, on taking my business to Scheel's or Sportsmans.
Today they don't stock hardly any ammo and very few reloading items,
which I don't understand, if they want to sell ALL the guns that have on hand !!
I at one time, told my friends to give me Cabela's gift cards for Christams
but that has been cancelled as of two years ago, do to lack of items.
Even their fishing items are very high in price.
Plus one, on taking my business to Scheel's or Sportsmans.
