Looks like the buyout of Cabela's by Bass Pro Shops is a done deal....

http://nypost.com/2016/07/14/cabelas-nears-sale-to-goldman-sachs-and-bass-pro-shops/

 

Wow do you think this will be a good thing? 

 

Wow do you think this will be a good thing? 

Nope.  Now that basspro owns cabelas they will have less competition, so there already crazy prices will likely go even higher.  Luckily for us there is still tackle warehouse, but I am going to miss Cabela's bargain cave.

Well, I live 5 minutes from the Cabela's in Dundee, MI and have a Bass Pro about 40 minutes from me in Rossford, OH. I've always gotten better service, selection and price from the Bass Pro. I'm referring to just fishing items. I guess, from my personal experience, I don't see it as a negative. With one big exception, there will be one less big competitor in the market. That's never a good thing for the consumer. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Im also interested to see how many of the Cabela's store are converted to a Bass Pro and stay open. I know the Dundee store averages approx. 35,000 people a weekend through that store. If it closed, it would put a big dent in the economy here.

I actually work at a Cabela's part time. As long as I keep my job it's fine by me.

1 hour ago, jtharris3 said:

Well, I live 5 minutes from the Cabela's in Dundee, MI and have a Bass Pro about 40 minutes from me in Rossford, OH. I've always gotten better service, selection and price from the Bass Pro. I'm referring to just fishing items. I guess, from my personal experience, I don't see it as a negative. With one big exception, there will be one less big competitor in the market. That's never a good thing for the consumer. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Im also interested to see how many of the Cabela's store are converted to a Bass Pro and stay open. I know the Dundee store averages approx. 35,000 people a weekend through that store. If it closed, it would put a big dent in the economy here.

My experience has been the opposite. I get much better service from Cabelas than at Bass Pro. I think it just depends on the location. 

I prefer Cabelas' house brand rods, line, and some of their reels over the same Bass Pro house brand items. I do wonder how this buyout will affect their house brand stuff. 

Another question I thought of early on in this buyout process was that perhaps Bass Pro may re-brand/re-focus the two stores. With the buyout of Cabelas, I wonder if they will shift Bass Pro to strictly a fishing focus; where it made it's bones early on before expanding into hunting. Likewise, I wonder if they will shift Cabelas to strictly a hunting focus; which is how they originated. 

Either way, less competion in the market is never a good thing. The consumer will suffer. Hopefully online tackle companies such as tackle warehouse can provide enough competition to at least keep them honest. 

I can't say that I've gotten great service at either the BPS or Cabelas in the KC Metro area.  In both places, I've walked into an aisle and had store workers to a 180 and walk away.   Many years ago, I'd pass through the Springfield MO store a couple of times per year and some of the help were helpful.

Academy and tackle warehouse are the way to go for buying tackle. Best prices. I never buy from bass pro unless I have a coupon or gift card

 

Nope.  Now that basspro owns cabelas they will have less competition, so there already crazy prices will likely go even higher.  Luckily for us there is still tackle warehouse.

X2.  Think of it as a mini monopoly.  It could go two ways: prices could just go higher because of less competition, or the new corporation could dump prices, a.k.a Walmart, and drive small retailers and mom & pops out of business, then raise prices.

Cabelas has been family owned - now it won't be

Please please TW....DO NOT SELL!!!

Think I'll miss the bargain cave most of all.Cabelas seem to have better stuff on sale, not just house brands

BPS, Cabelas, Gander....little distinction in my mind, anyway.  may just be me, but years ago, they had different 'personalities'; now, I have zero preference....except for whichever most recently offered a deal on something I needed..

I find this to be very disappointing news.  I suspect Bass Pro will convert some Cabelas stores over to a Bass Pro (while closing the others) and then will try to force feed their house brands down the consumers throats.  The most saddening part is that Bass Pro's fly department is a joke.  Cabelas actually has decent house brand fly rods (the LSi is still on of the most underated fly rods out there) and they always seemed to have a better in-stock selection (though, it helps that the Cabelas near me has a distribution center I can goto and pick up items).  Sad news. 

 

Cabelas has been family owned - now it won't be

Can you still consider yourself family owned when you're a publicly traded company?

I have a local BPS and Cabelas, but do most of my shopping at Academy.

I prefer cabelas, their house brand rods and reels are good too.

   I live about halfway between the Dundee cabelas and the Rossford bps and on the weekend you cant go to the cabelas because of the amount of people.  BPS not so much?  BPS seems a little higher on price then cabelas on every day prices.

BOO!

I guess I won't have to drive down to Dundee anymore.

I've found sound great deals in the Cabela's Bargain Cave over the years.  No Cabela's brick and mortar stores near me, but it sucks losing another online store where I can find great deals.  I wonder if BPS will keep the Cabela's brand name and existing stores, or just turn them all into BPS stores.

Good that place is crazy expensive. At least in my area. BP has everything they have much cheaper. 

For everyone bummed out about this, there's always gander mtn hopefully there's one close to yall. 

 

I actually work at a Cabela's part time. As long as I keep my job it's fine by me.

Same here, but I'm only there for the summer. 

I honestly rarely shop at either Bass Pro or Cabelas, their selection is poor for certain things. Only reason I really go to Bass Pro is Stick-O's, Speed Shads, and Carbonlites. 

We just had one open no more than a year or two ago here in Hudson, MA - where I live. Wondering if it will close or be turned into a BPS...

5 hours ago, timcauliffe said:

We just had one open no more than a year or two ago here in Hudson, MA - where I live. Wondering if it will close or be turned into a BPS...

I'll be interested too, with the Bass Pro in Foxborough. They are about 45 minutes to an hour apart so they might deem it worthwhile to have two stores. Although I am surethe people who shop there will still make the drive either way.

I'm honestly not fond of either thanks to the internet. Between better prices, larger selection and not having to have people who generally don't know a stick bait from a rat l trap talk about tackle next to me in the isle I'm happy never going to a fishing store besides a mom and pop tackle shop again.