Cabela's used to be the go to place for outdoor equipment. They were primarily a discount catalog store with the lowest prices. Think Amazon pricing, but for sporting and outdoor goods. Cabelas started business 30+ years before Amazon was founded. When online shopping started, Cabela’s discount business really took off. Sadly they also started opening up stores, with very high overheads. The more stores they opened the more their prices increased. Today, they are often the most expensive option, even online. They do have great service, much like Amazon, but you pay for it. I still like to use Cabela’s website. They do a great job of comparing products. It makes it easier to find the best fit for things like sleeping bags and binoculars. But when I price shop, I seldom buy from them anymore. Bass Pro Shops carries more fishing equipment than Cabela's. When both companies carry the same product, often Bass Pro Shops will have the lower price.
A Cabela's employee, seeing my brother wearing a Bass Pro hat in their store, offered him a new Cabela's hat if he tossed the Bass Pro one. He did. Bass Pro has a bunch of crazy shit on the walls.
I thought REI and Columbia were the places to go for outdoor stuff and Cabela's is the next generation of? I know this is about a Cabela's beoung bought by Bass Pros, but I still see Cabela's stores going up. I havent seen a new REI or Columbia in over a decade. Strictly speaking of physical store's growth, not online. I didn't know they were an online catalog store at first though.
btw, I clicked on this shit in error. Thought had to do with the much cooler type of bass ,since Sly plays... jokes on me... The real kind of bass!!!!
REI is ok. I became a member about 40 years ago when they opened their store on Jantzen Beach. They have that pay more now and get a dividend check later gimmick going on. At first their selection was rather poor compared to Cabelas. But they now offer a much broader range of pricing/quality options, especially on line. When REI moved their Jantzen Beach store to downtown Portland, I stopped shopping there. I hate going to downtown Portland. They stopped sending my year end dividend report, so they must have kicked me out. Another option for outdoor gear that I like is Sportsman’s Warehouse. No gimmicks or games, just decent local in store pricing on outdoor equipment suited to the PNW.
