Bass Pro buys Cabelas

[buck460XVR]

There was a time when Cabelas was mail order only that no one could beat their prices. In the last few years it seems they, along with GooseHill and Bass Pro have gotten more into women's clothing than hunting and fishing. They no longer targeted the average hunter/fisherman, but were going for folks with a taste for high end clothing and gear. Their large lavish stores/showrooms did not come cheap and the cost has to be recouped in some manner. Before the internet, many of us had few other options. Nowadays, many of us don't need to go to a fancy showroom where half the floor space is dedicated to waterfalls and full body mounts. Most things in life have to adapt to change or die out. Cabelas, sadly is one dinosaur that has not evolved.

 

[wojownik]

Activist investment firm Elliott Management began pushing for significant changes at Cabela's last fall. Elliott owns 7.4 percent of Cabela's shares and holds options to buy another 3.8 percent.

Looks like this activist investor got a 19% premium on its shares. Good for them, but still many unanswered questions about Cabella's employees, stores, and product line...

Capital One will take over running Cabela's credit card unit as part of the deal ...

And that becomes one more card I will cancel. I just don't do business with CapitalOne.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

I live about 15 minutes from the Cabelas in Hamburg Pennsylvania. I don't go there very often but that place is super convenient especially for archery tackle. There aren't many archery shops in my neck of the woods. Plus, the Gun Library and Bargain Cave are always fun to walk around.
About an hour west of me (Harrisburg PA) there is a Bass Pro. I don't get to that area very often but it feels much smaller than the Cabelas.
I really hope they don't close the Cabelas.

 

[CoRoMo]

I don't think I've bought a single thing from either outlet with my own money in many years.

I do buy several hundred dollars worth of merchandise (powder, primers, ammo) from Cabela's every year, but it's all from the credit card points that I accumulate. So it's basically ~$600 of free shooting stuff from Cabela's each year.

Looks like I'll be able to proceed with my current dealings.

 

[lilguy]

We were excited when our Hoffman Estates Cabelas opened some years back. I was concerned about them opening in anti gun Cook County. It did not take long for them to shut down the second floor of the store. They we're getting killed on property tax based on active square feet. Not enough revenue then and now the
family gave up and cashed out. I'm surprised they held on as long as they did, gun and ammo taxes hurt some, they reduced their hand gun dept noticeably.
Filled in the space with scopes, looked strange with all those eye pieces. I buy only Browning T shirts from them last several years. Everything else I order on line and get it shipped to home. Never bought anything from Bass Pro.

 

[danez71]

I've been is 4 or 5 Bass Pros and Cabelas in AZ, NV, and CA.

Darn near carbon copies of each other.

 

[lobo9er]

Bass Pro shop is opening 15 min from me so I'm happy. Maybe it will increase their selection of stuff I Don't need. Tongue in cheek of course. I love walking around sporting goods stores on a rainy day and this might make the future local Bass Pro Better for my locale.

 

[huntsman]

Cabela's clothing Used to be great, I'm still wearing shirts that are 15 years old. Their leather boat shoes and shooting gloves were a bit pricey but they offered the big size that I needed, most of that stuff has been dropped but I still shop the Bargain Cave and get good deals.

Bass Pro always seemed second class with it's merchandise, kinda like upscale Walmart.

 

[joed]

They just opened a Cabelas here in May. I've gotten some nice deals from Cabelas but have never even seen a Bass Pro.

Good break for the one big store we have here, I was afraid they'd go under.

I did manage to get a special Edition 700 SPS VS Stainless from Cabelas a few years ago for a great price. Don't think I've seen any 700 as cheap. I'll miss Cabelas, doubt I'd shop a fishing store.

 

[Cannibul]

It's been announced that the plan is to keep both stores open and operating.

Johnny Morris is smart enough to realize that Cabela's has a different customer base than Bass Pro.

The Garland Bass Pro is about 30 minutes from me. The Allen Cabela's is about an hour. Then there's the Bass Pro at Grapevine is about 70 minutes from me and the Fort Worth Cabela's is about 1:40 from me. All four of these stores have good foot traffic and if properly managed all four can stay in business.

I shop both stores. Even though Bass Pro is closer I go to Cabela's a bit more often.

I buy my shorts at Bass Pro, my shirts from Academy. Cabela's GuideWear stuff is good but it's crazy expensive.

Cabela's seems to have better sales and promotions for the shooter. From what I've seen they have a good inventory in the stores for the shooter and reloader.

Hopefully combining the buying power of the two will lead to some lower prices at both places.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

So is this a use up your Cabela's points situation or don't panic situation. I've got $360 in points sitting there right now.

 

[danez71]

Per the press release, your Cabela points are safe.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Bass Pro in KCK has always had overpriced firearms and not great selection. Cabelas is much better on firearms, ammo, and particularly reloading materials. Just more business for midwayusa from me because I've been a Cabelas shopper.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I may use my points, cancel my card, and switch to Scheels. They have better rewards, better prices on reloading stuff, and more clothing I like. Gun prices are competitive but just less selection.

 

[ericuda]

I wonder how many of the stores opened in the last 10 years. Looks like overhead and internet availability may have outpaced their brick and mortar projections.

 

[ACP]

I bought my Bear bow at Cabela's, and recently 500 rounds of 45 ACP ammo because their "unannounced" sale pretty much matched the ammoseek online price once shipping was factored in.

I can go to both Bass Pro and Cabela's, but Cabela's is closer to me, and I am more familiar with it. That won't change.

My concern is what happens down the line 7, 8 years from now when Bass Pro is trying to continue its profit margins.

 

[CopperFouling]

I have a fair amount of nostalgic affection for Cabela's. I'll never forget going to the mailbox as a kid and returning with one of those hefty catalogs. They provided many hours of entertainment. On occasion, my dad would even order from them. However, the prices became (or maybe always were) too high to purchase anything that wasn't seriously discounted.

Hopefully combining the buying power of the two will lead to some lower prices at both places.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Reduced competition can have the opposite effect.

 

[CopperFouling]

I have a fair amount of nostalgic affection for Cabela's. I'll never forget going to the mailbox as a kid and returning with one of those hefty catalogs. They provided many hours of entertainment. On occasion, my dad would even order from them. However, the prices became (or maybe always were) too high to purchase anything that wasn't seriously discounted.

Hopefully combining the buying power of the two will lead to some lower prices at both places.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Reduced competition can have the opposite effect.

 

[hso]

Shirts, boots, shorts.

Not enough guns for the thread.