I can confirm the Sam Walton story because my mom worked at Walmart for 30 years. She said the same thing. It was a great place to work for when Sam was still alive and not so much afterwards. Scheel’s is employee owned so maybe they are nicer because they have skin in the game. I don’t know, but I get treated very well when I’m in Scheel’s. They were way too convenient when I lived in The Colony (as in, they got too much of my money lol).

A friend of mine was a general manager at Bass Pro in Grapevine. He was there from its opening and for many years. He quit over ten years ago because of their policies and the way they treated employees.

I bought a crossbow from Cabelas. It lasted about 3 months of occasional trying to get used to it. It was an impulse buy. A small piece broke and wouldn’t go to full [censored]. Took it back to the store and showed it to the manager of the archery area. He said I could leave it for repair but couldn’t say when they could get around to it. He showed me a full rack of repair jobs that needed to be done. He had one guy who did repairs and couldn’t replace it. No idea how long it would take.

I left and haven’t been back to Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops. No interest in backing faulty products is not the people I deal with.

When we shop/go to a restaurant/doctors office we make note of the employees. When they are happy, helpful and enjoy their jobs we compliment them on it or tip really well.

With that in mind we were at BPS the other day and the Checker looked bored and unfriendly....like she was hating her job. I was disappointed with that.


If you REALLY want a GOOD experience at a BPS store you HAVE to go to the one in Springfield, MO. It is a destination location.

The attached 1.5 million gal Aquarium with 35,000 fish is indescribable as is the attached Wonders of Wildlife Museum with its 1.5 miles of trails. The aquarium takes 3-4 hours to walk through and the museum ~2hrs.


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They broke ground on BPS here in Odessa few weeks ago! Supposed to be a large one. My turning 62 next month and taking a beating in industrial world I'm wondering if that might be a direction for me? have experience in outdoors so that means if I worked there they would place me in lady's footwear! They mentioned building it in Midland but IGA (big property company) swung them over here. Some developer posted big sign near where they were going to build it over there and used BPS name stating walking distance...typical real estate leech, and was told to remove any reference to BPS. Next thing you know they are building in Odessa.

I have not been in a BPS or a CABELA'S in 15 to 18 years. Bought a BPS high dollar rain suit and was told it was guaranteed forever and had a witness with me. Had to take it back about a year before BPS bought Cabela's. BPS wouldn't even recognize it as one of their own even though BPS was sewed into the shell in several places. Store Manager told me she couldn't find that model suit. Found out that Gore-Tex would warrant the rain suit, Sent it to them and got a letter back saying they would cover any suit up to $350 plus shipping and taxes. BPS bought Cabela's shortly after I got the new rain suit. NEVER BEEN BACK IN BPS OR CABELA'S AND THAT HAS BEEN ABOUT 15 TO 18 YEARS

This is not true. It was Johnny that started Bass Pro in his fathers liquor store.

Well...whoever started it, it ain't keepin' up.

You can’t fix BP, it’s headed to basically be an Academy with a fish tank.

It’s no longer a hunting& fishing destination store front, it’s just a private label Outwear store now

I like Cabelas. I like the people who work there. "ALOT"
Sometimes i know more than they do.
Sometimes they know "ALOT" more than I do.
Seems fair.

although only by association am I plugging love to Allen Cabelas instead of same people, Bass Pro, which is too far away.
Hope your experience improves.

BTW the modern problem with THF and TFF is the in-ability to give likes or not-likes to a post.
lol

I love it! Goody goody. Hobble Creek and yeah everything else.

BPS bought the old Gander Mt./Gander Outdoors/Camping whatever in Tyler. It is supposed to open in February. It is supposed to be an "outpost" similar to the Cabela's Outpost in Waco. I'm sure it will be busier than GM because Tyler draws shoppers from 50-70 miles away.

When Gander Mt. was operating it was obvious that the Academy store (at opposite end of the shopping center area) usually had a mostly full parking lot and GM rarely had more than 25-30 vehicles in their lot.

It will be interesting to see how BPS does once the new wears off.

Found this was interesting about the Scheels that opened in the Colony 4 years ago. " SCHEELS surpasses its own record as the World’s Largest All Sports Store with the opening of The Colony, TX, location. The 331,000 square-foot store features more than 85 specialty shops and attractions for the entire family".

Have not been there yet, and wondering what it is like?

Same thing happened to me on a set of waders. Cabelas used to warranty their waders much like the way sitka does today. Any kind of manufacturer defect (ie leak at the boot seam) was covered, no receipt needed just take them in and exchange them. After a year or two mine started leaking at the boot. Took them in and dang near had a screaming match with the employee working the returns desk. "How do I know they are cabelas waders?" "Because it says cableas right there on the chest." Manager had to get involved, I guess he had been around a few years and was aware of the guarantee. He ended up letting me go get another pair but it was like pulling teeth. Havent purchased anything there since.

Now that I have thought it over, I think Bass Pro is facing similar struggles as all of the publicly traded big box places. It has grown past the point of diminishing returns, and in order to grow the stock they have to cut corners. Cheaper merchandise, higher margins, diminished customer service. If they don’t grow, the shareholders might dump the stock.

You're wrong.

Very good buyers who are very smart at bringing on micro brands that are hot.

There’s nobody there that’s going to teach me anything and there’s nothing there I can’t get somewhere else for less money.

Walmart's problem was his daughter. Home Depot was employee owned in the beginning. I like Scheels as it is also. Funny, went to one of the first Cabelas stores (Ne) and it was almost empty but people were very friendly.

Today is 10% off on all online orders at BP/Cabelas. Forgot that I had almost $300 in points so I bought some 357mag ammo. The 10% plus my 5% military discount and free shipping made it worthwhile.

Thanks, I'll order some ammo and go pick it up.

^