What's up with Cableas & Bass Pro

[JTHunter]

A couple of years ago, I made a special trip to west St. Louis county and St. Charles county, Missouri. There was a Cabela's in St. Louis county with a BPS just across the Missouri River in St. Charles. To say I was put off by the prices is putting it mildly. Clip-on polarized flip-up sunglasses that I used to get at Walmart for ~$5/pr. were 4X as much at these two. Neither one had the caliber bullets I needed for reloading, NOR the brass for that caliber, NOR the powder I was using with those reloads. Both had the two types of primers (std. & mag. loads) I needed, but slightly higher than Graf's which was a LGS less than a mile north of BPS.
Since then, both Gander and Academy have opened stores here in Illinois. GM opened to great prices and availability of .22 LR ammo, more than Academy had when they opened a year later. However, by the time Academy opened, GM was looking more like a ghost town. Also, neither of them had the bullets, brass, or powder I need for reloading. EVER. The few times GM had the primers I needed (a RARE occurance), a LGS here in Illinois (not Graf's) had better prices, although they never had the other 3 items either. Academy has never had the primers I want in either type.

 

[Aim1]

I know of two main reasons. But it really isn't something I'm at liberty to discuss. No im not a power player. No I'm not a lawyer. No im not corporate. But it's more than what in the article tsieger posted.

Np. Well, if Cabelas stays afloat and keeps up with their quality I'll be happier.


I love Cabelas brand clothing. It's the best.

 

[Speedo66]

The America you knew is changing, most big city people are not into shooting related sports. The younger generation sees the outdoors as a place to exercise, not shoot.

Stores that catered to the old fashioned outdoorsman will either change or cease to exist. Many of you remember when LL Bean had hunting supplies in their main catalog. The PC crowd who buys their overpriced preppy style of clothing do not wish to see anything gun related in them, I think Bean now sends their separate hunting catalog only if you ask for.

Bauer seems to no longer carry anything hunting related. As the older generation passes, stores like BPS and Cabelas probably won't last unless they change their sales focus.

 

[Jack B.]

I buy my gun stuff at locally owned stores just use bass pro to look at different things.

 

[BigBore44]

Np. Well, if Cabelas stays afloat and keeps up with their quality I'll be happier.

Me too! Much better warranties also.

 

[Gtscotty]

Np. Well, if Cabelas stays afloat and keeps up with their quality I'll be happier.


I love Cabelas brand clothing. It's the best.

Same here, I used to only have access to BP, the prices were always high on gun stuff and the focus was more on fishing. Now I'm about 100 miles from one of each, and if I make the trip, it's always to Cabela's, their hunting and shooting focus is more aligned with my interests and I can usually find a reasonable deal on some sale item I need.

The vast majority of my brick and mortar spent money goes to the Sportsman's Warehouse in town, much better normal prices than either of the other two, strong gun selection and a truly stacked reloading section.

 

[bassjam]

If the deal truly does fall through I'll be laughing! Bass Pro must have lost a lot of business around here when Cabelas opened, because they started building their own "superstore" about a year after the Cabelas opened up. Prior to that they had been in an old Sears or something in a corner of one of the local malls. When word about this merger hit, the sign that said "Future sight of Bass Pro Shops" was taken down and now it's a HUGE stone and landscaping supply place.

 

[.455_Hunter]

The America you knew is changing, most big city people are not into shooting related sports. The younger generation sees the outdoors as a place to exercise, not shoot.

Stores that catered to the old fashioned outdoorsman will either change or cease to exist. Many of you remember when LL Bean had hunting supplies in their main catalog. The PC crowd who buys their overpriced preppy style of clothing do not wish to see anything gun related in them, I think Bean now sends their separate hunting catalog only if you ask for.

Bauer seems to no longer carry anything hunting related. As the older generation passes, stores like BPS and Cabelas probably won't last unless they change their sales focus.

Plenty of younger people buying stuff at BP and Cabelas here in Denver Metro.

Just like AMC did not go out of business because people stopped buying cars, some of "old line" hunting dealers failed to adapt to the changing market.

 

[HOWARD J]

Cabelas is 90 mile round trip for me
I buy 95% of reload equipment on line
They can do what they want..............

 

[Bobson]

All the latest news speaks otherwise. The hangup was the Cabela's Credit Card, which will now be aquired by Capitol One.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/busi...icially-buying-cabela/R0QzqOE4T2wxRtpHmGkU7I/

Interesting. When Cabela's sent a letter out a few months ago to inform cardmembers about the merger, they said nothing was going to change regarding the credit card. Basically that Bass Pro had every intent to leave it completely alone.

I feel so deceived. Lol

 

[Cannibul]

Cabela's is about an hour away. 100 miles or so round trip. Bass Pro Shops is half the distance away but on about 20 minutes closer. I'll go to Cabela's every time my wife will let me. First stop is the Bargain Cave, then I hit the firearms area. Sale prices are primers and/or powder are hard to beat. Every day price on powder is the cheapest I've found in the DFW area. About the only time I go to Bass Pro is if I need a new pair of shorts.

There's a reloading store 27 miles, 30 minutes away. I go there a couple times a year at the most. He's got the best selection of powder and primers in the area but his prices are higher than Cabela's sale prices. If there's a powder I really need that I can't find elsewhere I'll give him a call.

There's another gun/reloading store 15 miles/24 minutes away that I visit too. Since he gives a discount to members of the Rifle club I belong to his prices aren't bad.

I rarely buy powder or primers online since the Hazmat and shipping really add to the price unless you're REALLY buying in bulk. A couple of years ago Cabela's had the S&B primers for $17/1000 and a good sale on powder coupled with no Hazmat. I really stocked up on that sale.

 

[CraigC]

If you do like I do and put every single thing you possibly can on a Cabela's Club Visa, then most of what you get from them is free!

 

[medalguy]

I saw an article I think in WSJ recently that said Cabelas was planning on closing about 30 stores in 2017. No surprise there.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

If you do like I do and put every single thing you possibly can on a Cabela's Club Visa, then most of what you get from them is free!

I've gotten some free black powder guns that way. Use the Cabelas card for large business purchases when possible.

 

[CraigC]

I've gotten some free black powder guns that way. Use the Cabelas card for large business purchases when possible.

Me too! Several, actually.