Cabelas, a sign of the times

[Deadeye Don]

We were all pretty excited when Cabelas announced they would be builiding a store just outside of Indianapolis.  Finally we would have a real gun store that could overshadow Dicks.  They broke ground and started laying utilities.  This week they announced they were putting "a hold" on construction due to economic times and "strategy" changes in the company.  They MAY still end up building here, but I am not holding my breath at this point.  Sad news for those of us that would love to have browsed the isles full of guns, equipment and clothing.       Regards.  Deadeye.

[shieldsmt]

Ditto for Billings, Montana

[Sky Soldier]

Ditto for Denver

[Advertising]

[Professor Marvel]

Greetings fellow Citizens -

Cabelas has long been the Epitome of Excellence when they put up a superstore - the three I have been  able to visit (Sidney, Dundee, and Phoenix) were not so much shopping as entertainment experiences par excellence. My wife, the watercolor artist,  ( who generally drops me off at a sporting goods store, while she goes on to Costco , etc) always insists on accompanying me to a Cabelas with her digital camera! They don't simply have "stuffed heads" they have aquariums and entire dioramas that can put a small museum to shame!   The "heads" that they do display are often remarkable atypical specimens that are well worth study, and even the glass counters are filled with miniature scenes of smaller critters and birds that are hard to get photos of in the wild.   

Indeed, Cabelas had launched an agressive building campaign and may have overextended themselves. In Denver, at least, I know they shot themselves in the foot by insisting on locating the store in a premier scenic region of the Denver foothills (near Golden) even though the small town of Golden did not want the added influx of traffic, etc. The delays allowed much of their competition to pre-empt them: first Gander Mountain (in an old empty Home Base store in Aurora, CO)  ) then Sportsman's Warehouse (alsoAurora, CO) , then   Bass Pro (near Aurora, at I-25 and I-70) . These locations, while not beautiful, got them in quickly and doing business, while Cabelas still fussed over their ideal location.

The new Bass Pro will certainly give Cabelas a run for their money - they have great displays, some nice dioramas, fairly good prices ( altho a pathetic line of BP gear) and a "gun library to die for" .

Sometimes one really must "strike while the iron is hot" .

your humble servant
Prof Marvel

[Dr. Bob]

Y'all come on down to the NCOWS Convention in a couple of weeks.  We have a Cabelas about 10 miles west of the convention location and a Bass Pro about 10 miles south.    We will have Starline Brass on Sat. & Sun., Hodgdon/IMR, clothing, guns, antiques, a Victorian Ball, seminars and PC music.  Also about 4 miles from the National WWI Museum.  Every thing's up to date in Kansas City!!

[Skinny Preacher 66418]

This is good news for you. OTHERWISE, you will end up broke, pennyless, no wife, no home, living out of your truck....FULL OF GUNS!!!!

I have two strategically placed Cabelas near me...1.5 hrs west in Austin and 3 hrs north in Ft. Worth. I still don't have any money in my wallet, but I do have my wife and home.

It is hard to leave the place with money in your pocket 

[North Bender]

Cableas just opened a store in Lacey, WA, near the capital (Olympia).  Like the Professor wrote, it is a musuem.  And packed with amazing rifles, pistols and shotguns.  How much do you want to spend?  They can do in just about any pocketbook.  I didn't see any vintage guns going for a good deal, but there sure was a collection of old lever guns and 6-shooters.

They had at least 10 and maybe 15 checkout registers, all with lineups.  It sure is good to see so new sporting goods stores doing well.

[Deadeye Don]

We just heard that the Cabelas that was in the early stages of building here in Indianapolis has been delayed 2 years.  There was alot of addtional deveopment that was to occur along with the Cabelas so now most of that will probably be put on hold as well.  Such is life.

[Sky Soldier]

I've been buying from Cabela's for quite a while. I like their prices and especially their customer service.
I was disappointed to hear about their cutting back on new stores but I also understand that there is a lot of competition out there and it doesn't make sense to open new markets if they feel they will not make a profit.
To make matters worse (or maybe better) they just sent me my first ever hard cover "World's Foremost Customer" catalogue.
I'll keep ordering stuff from them.