Sportsmans Warehouse.
- Thread starter Megawatt maker
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Airborne Falcon
Member
I believe, based upon what I have been told is that the store here in Columbia is either #1 or #2 in the country ... consistently.
This thread is good news to us here as we are generally Bass Pro and Cabela's haters since their merger.
Us haters gonna hate.
Long live Sportsman's Warehouse ... and I remember when they were a Canadian Co-op from the Pacific Northwest. They basically supplied my reloading needs back in those days. I remember when they split in two. I remember when they declared bankruptcy.
God Bless'em and I mean that.
This thread is good news to us here as we are generally Bass Pro and Cabela's haters since their merger.
Us haters gonna hate.
Long live Sportsman's Warehouse ... and I remember when they were a Canadian Co-op from the Pacific Northwest. They basically supplied my reloading needs back in those days. I remember when they split in two. I remember when they declared bankruptcy.
God Bless'em and I mean that.
JEBruns
Member
They didn't hold out. They FTC basically quashed it. The current FTC is pretty anti-merger.
Having been through the BP/Cabela's merger, I agree it would not have been a good thing. They actually rebranded our local Cabela's into a BP store. I think ours was the only store that happened to. I'm glad they are there, but the BP branded inventory is almost always a step (or two, or three) down.
We had a Sportsman Warehouse here 10-12 years or so ago. It was the first "big box" sporting goods store in our area. I really liked the place, but they shut it down during one of their bankruptcies. Darn shame. Hope they come back someday.
The FTC didn't actually quash the merger. They did however voice their opposition after their investigation. If the merger had proceeded, the FTC would have taken legal action, so I guess that amounts to the same thing.
I had emailed my legislators when the merger was first announced because it would have given a monopoly to Great Outdoors in my area. We had a Cabela's, a Sportsman's Warehouse, and some mom and pops at the time. Plus, Dick's, which doesn't count. Monopolies definitely aren't good for the consumer.
SW was my main source of combustibles (powder/primers). They were also a good source of gear. Now, of course, they are good for bare shelves, but maybe that will change. I wish I had more faith in SW's upper management. The outdoor gear sector is booming right now. If your store can't make it in this environment, you deserve to go out of business.
I had emailed my legislators when the merger was first announced because it would have given a monopoly to Great Outdoors in my area. We had a Cabela's, a Sportsman's Warehouse, and some mom and pops at the time. Plus, Dick's, which doesn't count. Monopolies definitely aren't good for the consumer.
SW was my main source of combustibles (powder/primers). They were also a good source of gear. Now, of course, they are good for bare shelves, but maybe that will change. I wish I had more faith in SW's upper management. The outdoor gear sector is booming right now. If your store can't make it in this environment, you deserve to go out of business.
Speedo66
Member
Even better is that locally a Sportsman's Warehouse store took over a big Field & Stream store from Dick's a couple of years ago.
We already have a Bass Pro and a Cabelas locally. Since Bass Pro took over, the quality of the clothing at Cabelas has gone down.
Used to order stuff from Gander Mt., not sure if they're still in business.
Remember when L L Bean was primarily a hunting and fishing supply operation before they went PC?
We already have a Bass Pro and a Cabelas locally. Since Bass Pro took over, the quality of the clothing at Cabelas has gone down.
Used to order stuff from Gander Mt., not sure if they're still in business.
Remember when L L Bean was primarily a hunting and fishing supply operation before they went PC?
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Yes I do. I was a Herter's fan. I also still have a pair of the original LL Bean hunting boots. Then I did Gander Mountain. They are now owned by Camping World by the way. Then I was a big time Cabela's man until BP ruined them.
It seems like sporting goods chains are like good dogs. You love them, but they don't live that long.
Speedo66
Member
Great analogy! lol
Yeah, but the whole thing is a pain in the butt. I get tired of it. I do still get a few points from my Cabela's MC, but they rarely have anything I want to spend them on.
I divide my online outdoor shopping mostly between MidwayUSA and Brownell's now. If I need a Badlands pack or something, I shop around for the best price.
I'm sorry but not a Cabela's fan. They ran bait and switch gun ads all the time. I wanted a rifle and drove to the store after getting the ad in my e-mail. Sorry, they don't have it. Can I get a rain check - no we don't do that. Are there any at other stores? No.
On the side, the clerk told me that there were only 4 of those rifles in the whole country and they ran the ad anyway. Bah. I had a long email exchange with them and I noticed later that there ads changed to add you should call the store before coming for a sale item.
Also, their cargo pants fell apart quickly and they refused to replace them. I still do business with them but I haven't found much difference under BPS except that the Red Hat clothes are better.
On the side, the clerk told me that there were only 4 of those rifles in the whole country and they ran the ad anyway. Bah. I had a long email exchange with them and I noticed later that there ads changed to add you should call the store before coming for a sale item.
Also, their cargo pants fell apart quickly and they refused to replace them. I still do business with them but I haven't found much difference under BPS except that the Red Hat clothes are better.
Elkins45
Member
The same thing happened in northern KY but the store didn’t really change all that much unfortunately.
The store in Lexington is much better IMO. It’s the only place within 100 miles of me that carries powder in larger than one pound cans.
Resist Evil
Member
I've spent a few thousand dollars at Cabela's over the years. Never bought but one gun, a Shield on sale, there. Until the merger, I was regularly pleased with the quality goods found at Cabela's. They weren't the cheapest goods, but they functioned as they should and they lasted. I loved going to the one in Sydney, NE until they opened two stores in the Denver metropolitan area. After the Bass Pro takeover merger, Cabela's became like a sports oriented Sam's Club versus a Costco in terms of their house branded products. After moving from Denver to Sin City 18 months ago, I've not once been to the sole Bass Pro location here because my distaste of their stores in Denver, but have visited the local Sportsman's several times.
I used to dream about going to the one Sydney. Went to both in Denver later and they were OK. Things went down hill from there. When they opened in Albuquerque, I just wasn't interested.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I am glad for Sportsman’s and I am glad Johnny Morris and his idiot minions didn’t get their greasy mitts on a decent sporting goods chain. BPS ruined Cabela’s. I would say more but I like it here and wish to remain here. My thoughts on BPS aren’t very nice.
Old Dog
Member
Eh, my local SW is pretty solid. Got two new Pythons for under MSRP (with military discount). Customer service is usually friendly and efficient, even when selection is not so good. But it's my go-to for fishing stuff, has a decent selection of outdoor clothing, dog supplies, camping, canoeing, kayaking stuff. Just wishin' they had a better, more predictable system for getting guns in from their distributor.
kmw1954
Member
Being on the Wis/Ill state line area the closest store to us is 200mi away. in Indy or Iowa.
swg1
Member
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Cabelas/BPS is a waste of time locally here in WA. Four hours on the front end to buy a revolver and two hours to pick it up. And I can’t function test a used gun in the gun library? Nope, done with them. My time is more valuable than that. Buh-bye. Never again.
Bandit67
Member
I think I'm the only one that still likes Cabela's.
They've definitly changed since Bass Pro took over but the store in Dundee, MI still has a decent reloading section and I recently purchased a shotgun at a very good price. Not what they used to be for sure, but nothing good ever seems to last. Lol
It took about 30 minutes to buy the gun and I was out the door.
My Grandson loves looking at all the taxidermy and the aquarium.
As long as I go in with the mindset that it's a clothing and camping store that happens to sell guns and hunting stuff. I'm usually not disappointed.
Oh and to stay on topic. I feel pretty much the same way about Sportsman's Warehouse.
They've definitly changed since Bass Pro took over but the store in Dundee, MI still has a decent reloading section and I recently purchased a shotgun at a very good price. Not what they used to be for sure, but nothing good ever seems to last. Lol
It took about 30 minutes to buy the gun and I was out the door.
My Grandson loves looking at all the taxidermy and the aquarium.
As long as I go in with the mindset that it's a clothing and camping store that happens to sell guns and hunting stuff. I'm usually not disappointed.
Oh and to stay on topic. I feel pretty much the same way about Sportsman's Warehouse.
3850remhep
Member
I hope their plans for expansion includes SE Texas, I'd drive 90 - 100 miles to shop their brick & mortar. Regretfully, the closest now is ~175 miles, too far just to browse.
.308 Norma
Member
No, you're not the only one. I still like them.
Yeah, after Bass Pro took over, they started stocking "Red Head" brand clothing. I have about a half dozen "Red Head" brand shirts, and two pairs of "Red Head" brand boots - I bought one pair of them and found them so darned comfortable, a month later I went back and bought another pair just like the first pair. The second pair is still in the box because I haven't worn out the first pair yet, and it's going on two years.
My wife also likes Cabela's/Bass Pro's clothing, and last year she bought a few Christmas gifts for grandkids there. However, neither she nor I bought many guns at Cabela's even before Bass Pro took over. It was, and still is a good place to go look at guns though (IMO). It's just that we have our favorite LGSs, and so we have almost always "looked" at guns at Cabela's, but when it comes time to lay our money down, we do it at one of our favorite LGSs.
irishlad
Contributing Member
Not sure what you mean, online ordering or what. I've ordered guns, powder and ammo online without issue. Glad I have one 20 miles away.
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