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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: AZRedhawk44 on December 22, 2020, 11:15:25 PM

Title: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on December 22, 2020, 11:15:25 PM
https://newschannel9.com/sports/outdoors/sportsmans-warehouse-purchased-by-bass-pro-owners

I expect to see the Sportsman's closest to my house shutter its doors under the new management.  We have a Bass Pro about 10 miles away (into metro Phoenix/Tempe direction), and a Sportsman's about 2 miles away in the opposite direction headed out of town.

Cabelas and Bass Pro are pretty much mirror images of each other.  Sportsman's tends to be quite a bit more low key.  Fewer plastic props as overhead (faux hiking terrain near the shoes, fake trees and waterfalls, etc).  More accessible gun counter, though still nowhere as accessible as a real LGS.  The tent loft area typical to the Sportsman's I've been to are very unrefined, but consume a lot more floorspace by actually having a demo model of most tents set up.

I think the last firearm I bought at a Sportsman's was my Browning BL-22.  I've never really liked the feel of handgun shopping there.  Just too "big store"-ish.  Definitely never bought a pistol at Cabela/BP either.  Nor a long gun, nor a bow.  I have bought clothing and outdoors gear, just don't like their policies and procedures with firearms examination and sales.

Sportsman's would at least let you dry fire a weapon to examine its trigger.  The couple times I've explored firearms at Cabela/BP, it's like the Walmart gun counter with trigger locks and no exceptions.  Sometimes I've seen the sales people even fetch a completely different firearm from the stockroom, leaving the one a customer examined and chose, on the rack, rather than boxing that specific firearm he chose.

I expect the board of Great American Outdoors Group to discontinue the dry fire policy, and require trigger locks on floor stock, at Sportsmans.  And Corporate Idiocracy will inexorably march onwards.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Ben on December 23, 2020, 08:51:30 AM
Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch.

I hate Bass Pro. They absolutely ruined Cabelas.

Quote
Cabelas and Bass Pro are pretty much mirror images of each other.

Not quite, but every month since the takeover, Cabelas gets a little more like Bass Pro - from gun locks on all the guns that they refuse to take off in the store if you want to buy a gun from them, to replacing Cabelas branded items with lower quality Bass Pro branded items.

I have actually worried, since the takeover, that Bass Pro would at some point remove all "evil looking" firearms from their stores. Given the trigger lock crap that started at Cabelas this year, I've just had the feeling that BP is one of those orgs, like Dicks, that will roll over and become a Fudd store or possibly in the future stop gun sales all together. Probably not the latter, but I could certainly see an end to handgun sales and racks stocked only with hunting shotguns and rifles.

I have so enjoyed having a Sportsmans Warehouse nearby again (40 minute drive vs an hour to Cabelas). I guess that's all over now. SW will slowly but surely turn into BP Jr. *expletive deleted*ck you, Bass Pro.

Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Ron on December 23, 2020, 09:01:50 AM
Wasn't Cabelas in rough financial shape before Bass Pro acquired them?

Maybe if Sportsmans is in good shape they won't mess with success.

Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: charby on December 23, 2020, 09:37:43 AM
2020 keeps giving
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: MillCreek on December 23, 2020, 10:05:49 AM
There are a couple of SW within 30 miles of me, and I prefer them to the one Cabela's in this area.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on December 23, 2020, 01:53:08 PM
Wasn't Cabelas in rough financial shape before Bass Pro acquired them?

Maybe if Sportsmans is in good shape they won't mess with success.



It was during the Obama years at some point, but during the great Obama ammo run, Sportsman's declared bankruptcy.  Not sure how they pulled off such a feat in such a bullish market for their goods.  Evidently they took all the money from their ammo sales, and neglected to pay their suppliers.  As a result, they had bare ammo shelves for a good long while since none of their vendors would send any more product.  I wouldn't consider them to be particularly savvy in their sales domain.

ETA:

https://www.reuters.com/article/sportsmanswarehouse-bankruptcy/sportsmans-warehouse-files-for-bankruptcy-idUSN2141506420090321

2009, in the early Obama tenure.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Lennyjoe on December 24, 2020, 03:10:41 PM
I visited the one in Tucson quite a bit when I lived there. Purchased mostly reloading stuff with the occasional clothing item. Liked them better than Cabelas or Bass Pro. Sorry to see them sell to the Cabelas/Bass Pro folks.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: French G. on December 24, 2020, 09:55:15 PM
I still kinda remember when LL Bean sold more than just BS clothes. The drive is to turn them all into crappy clothes store.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: tokugawa on December 25, 2020, 01:56:06 AM
I still kinda remember when LL Bean sold more than just BS clothes. The drive is to turn them all into crappy clothes store.

 Heh. I remember when it was a one room warehouse with a worn wood floor, sort of like an old school hardware store.  I must have been about ten, it was in the mid sixties. Maine was a lot different then.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Ben on December 25, 2020, 08:36:30 AM
Heh. I remember when it was a one room warehouse with a worn wood floor, sort of like an old school hardware store.  I must have been about ten, it was in the mid sixties. Maine was a lot different then.

I remember the LL Bean catalogs from the 70's. Certainly a much different customer focus than today.

French hit the nail. Like LL Bean, Eddie Bauer and similar stores, some of the "outdoor stores" want to really turn into, "dress like you're into the outdoors" stores. That's why I really hated to see Cabela's start going down that road after the buyout, and will hate to see SW take the same path.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: MillCreek on December 25, 2020, 10:33:46 AM
As I said before here, I remember going into the flagship Eddie Bauer store in downtown Seattle, where you could buy fine English hunting shotguns, very high end fishing tackle, and enough down professional gear to outfit your expedition to Mt. Everest.  No more.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: French G. on December 25, 2020, 11:04:19 AM
I'll wait until Abercrombie and Fitch gets back to its roots.  [popcorn]
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Ben on January 17, 2022, 06:13:19 PM
Well, Sportsmans Warehouse is safe. The merger fell through. I'm really happy. As I pointed out in this necro'd topic, I have been really disappointed in Cabelas since the BP takeover. I'm glad SW has been saved from that fate. From an SW email I just got:

Quote
A year ago, Sportsman’s Warehouse entered into a merger agreement with Great American Outdoors, parent company of Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops. Effective December 2, 2021, that merger agreement was terminated. We at Sportsman’s Warehouse are excited to continue operating as a separate, independent and publicly-traded company (NASDAQ: SPWH).
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: French G. on January 17, 2022, 06:41:42 PM
Boss lady and I went into a cabelas right after the holidays. Another disappointment of a clothing store. The gun library is a shadow of its former self. As some meme said Carhartt clothes for people who can’t do carhartt stuff.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: dogmush on January 17, 2022, 07:27:16 PM
I can't remember the last time I was in a cabelas, bass pro, or SW.  If I want camping or hiking gear, I'll go to REI.  At least they are honest about their politics.  If I want a gun, there's a multitude of sources before a big box store.

I don't hunt animals or fish anymore..  If I did maybe it would be different.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Bogie on January 17, 2022, 07:33:30 PM
I went in my local REI to buy a pair of Merrell boots. Sales person wouldn't talk to me.
 
They didn't mind seeing a red hat at Academy Sports.
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: HankB on January 17, 2022, 10:39:57 PM
Dammit - I used to like Cabela's brand cargo pants and shorts, and now that I'm thinking about replenishing my supply of such I check their online store - nada.

I am NOT a happy camper.   :mad:
Title: Re: Sportsman's Warehouse bought out by Bass Pro
Post by: Andiron on January 17, 2022, 10:52:19 PM
I went in my local REI to buy a pair of Merrell boots. Sales person wouldn't talk to me.
 
They didn't mind seeing a red hat at Academy Sports.

Half the fun around here is going to REI and refusing to put a mask on.  Never had an issue with the footwear drones, even with no stupid *expletive deleted*ing mask, though they al wear them.