New Cabela stores on hold!

[Normand]

http://billingsgazette.net/articles/...-nocabelas.txt

[ausable_ny]

Too bad, I was really looking forward to them opening the store in East Rutheford, NJ...only a 45 minute ride for me. Guess I'll have to force myself to make the trip to Pennsylvania.

[Lotech]

It sounds like Cabela's made plans to expand too fast. That seems to happen a lot these days.

[GRN]

The slower the better as far as I'm concerned... they have bought land a few years ago a bit to our south in NH, and I believe the original goal was spring of '09. Hard to say exactly what the impact will be on our shop and others in the area, but I do know it ain't gonna help.

[TomTrout]

I know the Jersey store didn't open due to construction problems for the new mall (Forgot what they are calling this one. It's right across from the old Giants Stadium.). The construction has restarted but who knows when it will be completed. This thing has an indoor ski slope in it. I too can't wait for this store to open as I work at the Lincoln Tunnel and will be 5 min. from it.

Tom

[HCR]

I prefer to support small. locally owned fly shops, where the staff actually have some say in what they stock and a good knowledge of fly fishing.

My two visits to the cabela's at Buda, TX have been disappointing on all counts.

[John_N]

I'm bummed to see on the list the one that was planned for a spot about an hour and a half from here. I'm all for supporting the local shop, but when you're in a town with one locally-owned fly shop that's all of about 1000 square feet, getting access to someplace like Cabela's is a big deal. We had a Bass Pro open across the river a year or so ago, but there's no comparison as far as their fly shops go, at least from what I've seen.

I don't think this is a function of Cabela's trying to expand too fast. The dynamics have just changed dramatically from when these were planned. Slowing economy, consumer confidence in the tank, and retail sales slumping across all spectrums, none of which was the case a year or more ago when the plans were made. This is no different than Starbucks and other recent announcements dramatically scaling back new store openings. Bad news in the general sense too I guess.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I suppose it may have something to do with the Hit the market took the last couple of weeks. Its a bummer if you have been waiting for ages for a Store to open up near you. Luckily the Post falls one is up and running.

[Slate_Drake_9]

My random thoughts about this.

1. Cabelas is the Walmart of outdoors equipment and are absolutely no different in how they do things than BassPro (or Walmart), just some different name brands.

2. I read recently somewhere else that they are getting a lot of flack about their "trophy properties" venture that has angered a lot of customers because it was somehow taking lands that were open to public use and selling them to folks who were making them non-public use. This may be why they are "slowing" down.

3. I have been in 2 Cabelas and 3 BassPro stores(numerous times in each), but I don't think I will ever go back. Each time I have been in any of these stores, the shelves have less and less on them (by selection) and more and more people in them which equals a poor shopping experience for me.

4. The staff at each of the stores I have been in are about as knowledgabe as the teenagers working at Walmart are about the sporting equipment I am shopping for. Twice now I have had these idiots try to sell me things that are the exact opposite of what I told them I am looking for. They don't have a clue.

5. Stores like these are hurting the small shops that are full of products being sold by someone who actually knows what the products are for, which is worth the few pennies on a dollar I might have to spend in their shops. I would much rather have the small shop than a dozen of these big box stores.

[GRN]

4. The staff at each of the stores I have been in are about as knowledgabe as the teenagers working at Walmart are about the sporting equipment I am shopping for. Twice now I have had these idiots try to sell me things that are the exact opposite of what I told them I am looking for. They don't have a clue.

5. Stores like these are hurting the small shops that are full of products being sold by someone who actually knows what the products are for, which is worth the few pennies on a dollar I might have to spend in their shops. I would much rather have the small shop than a dozen of these big box stores.

Amen. It's not just Cabelas and Bass Pro though, most of the majors are being sold in other large, well established, more respected retail sporting goods stores, which in many cases don't offer any more value. You never hear anyone bust on LL Bean... and they don't have to adhere to the same geographic boundaries (at least X miles between dealers) as the small shops do... small shops are at a huge disadvantage. Last time I went into a Bass Pro, the 'fishing specialist' was only a few days older than the socks I had on, knew nothing... his last job before bass pro was slinging cream cheese on the breakfast shift at Bubba's Bagels... 'fishing specialist'... OK! That is what it's coming to, and I think it's a real drag.