Cabelas No More

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by W921

Marksman is a cool old fashioned gun shop like used to be common 50 years ago. But they don't sell hardly anything old enough that I would be interested in. They have reloading equipment but it's all for newer stuff and no casting supplies. Guess that's what most people that are still into guns I guess it's what they are into

Half the stuff in that store is 50 years old.

[BuckCuller]

I wish it were the other way.
Bass pro sucks!
Bass pro can’t even be bothered to make their own Canadian website.
The guy at the gun counter years ago tore into me for asking why they didn’t sell restricted firearms. That was the last time I went to Bass pro about eight years ago.

[Pheasantchaser]

Personally, I'd rather spend my $$$ supporting local, independent businesses...P&D, Prophet River, Bashaw Sports, Sportsmens Den...

Hope no one loses a job from the "corporate rebranding."

[W921]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Half the stuff in that store is 50 years old.

1964 or pre 64 doesn't seem that long ago but it's what 60 years ago now. To me 19TH century is most interesting but even new stuff from ww1 and to a lesser extent ww2. This stuff that I grew up playing with is getting old now. Lots of powder, lots of lead,shoot them once, shoot them dead.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Cabelas hunting department got wiped out by better gear companies offering online shopping. The reality is most guys who spend real money aren’t going to pick from what’s on the rack, they will get what they want, and overhead kills physical stores on pricing.

IMO since the merger it’s a flashy fishing store with occasional sales on gun and hunting stuff, and that model probably works better for them.

Cabelas gear was the precursor to gear from companies like Sitka. Proof of concept perhaps, that people would spend big money on hunting specific clothing?

I agree about the cost of owning a physical store and that there is so much internet shopping. However, I am one of those people that is hard to size. I have big shoullders and what Louis L'Amour described as a "barrel chest". I have to try stuff on and don't want to pay for shipping back and forth. For instance, I have never found a Northface piece of clothing that fits, they're too small in the shoulder, if if they are Northface 2XL. I find that I have to go 3XL for Kuiu and UnderArmour to fit. Shoes/boots, I'm all over the place for sizing, especially after the two surgeries on the left foot. So for me, there is still a benefit to a physical store.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by W921

Marksman is a cool old fashioned gun shop like used to be common 50 years ago. But they don't sell hardly anything old enough that I would be interested in. They have reloading equipment but it's all for newer stuff and no casting supplies. Guess that's what most people that are still into guns I guess it's what they are into

Anymore, your tastes represent a very small percentage of the gun crowd. I'm not even sure who has casting supplies in Canada.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by Pheasantchaser

Personally, I'd rather spend my $$$ supporting local, independent businesses...P&D, Prophet River, Bashaw Sports, Sportsmens Den...

Hope no one loses a job from the "corporate rebranding."

I don't get to Bashaw Sports much, but IMO it's no where close to what it was when Pud owned it.

You forgot Proline Shooters II by the way. "It is your grandfather's gunstore".

[MK2750]

Originally Posted by AB2506

I don't get to Bashaw Sports much, but IMO it's no where close to what it was when Pud owned it.

You forgot Proline Shooters II by the way. "It is your grandfather's gunstore".

I went well out of my way to stop in the other day as I was working in Stettler. Wanted to get a couple of flats of shotshells, my licenses, maybe a game camera or two and mostly a 308 rifle. I noticed during tight times the 308 was the only ammo readily available.

I still have my money and they still have their stuff. Never again would I even cross the street to go in there.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by AB2506

Cabelas gear was the precursor to gear from companies like Sitka. Proof of concept perhaps, that people would spend big money on hunting specific clothing?

I agree about the cost of owning a physical store and that there is so much internet shopping. However, I am one of those people that is hard to size. I have big shoullders and what Louis L'Amour described as a "barrel chest". I have to try stuff on and don't want to pay for shipping back and forth. For instance, I have never found a Northface piece of clothing that fits, they're too small in the shoulder, if if they are Northface 2XL. I find that I have to go 3XL for Kuiu and UnderArmour to fit. Shoes/boots, I'm all over the place for sizing, especially after the two surgeries on the left foot. So for me, there is still a benefit to a physical store.

True, and their cabelas branded gear was often times the front runner for particular pieces (cold weather whitetail stand gear is/was fantastic, I should have bought more). But once Sitka, firstlite, kuiu, etc started taking slices of the pie, it was inevitable.

The other thing is here in Alberta we have an enormous per capita hunting population that is stable or increasing. It ain’t that way in the states due to pay-to-play, the number of new hunters buying new gear is always shrinking.

Try on….man I don’t remember the last piece of clothing I tried on. Boots would be hanwags in 17 or 18. Ordered everything since. Got sick of racks full of small and xxl and nothing in between.

[huntinstuff]

I have a down filled parka with hood I bought from Cabelas about 40 years ago. I saw it in a magazine and cut out the ad and mailed it in with a cheque to the US.
They sent it to me and I still have it and wear it on the absolute coldest days......

Was there twice this week and I doubt there is anything even close to that parka for sale. Maybe FXR. I have one of those too and it is pretty good for sure. The FXR was regular $499 and they had it on sale for $72. I bought myself and my youngest son one.

Most of the store is now clothes.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Bring Back Wholesale Sports!

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

Bring Back Wholesale Sports!

That ship has sailed unfortunately.
Remember back in the day ,all the threads of guys rubbing their hands with Glee that Cabelas was coming to town and gonna put the rotten Wholesale sports in its place. Everyone was hating on wholesale.

[Tannerdog]

I get it and don't argue with the Walmart of outdoor referenced above. I have
bought 2 shotguns at BP, they had what I wanted and was not a bad experience. They definitely appeal to the masses and are not your local gun/sporting goods store. Redhead brand is OK for some things (socks)!! Not top of the line but they do carry a decent cross section of brands. Depends on what you expect I guess. I do like their boating section and have bought many bits and pieces there and I think they have about everything you could need in the fishing department. Big box store for sure but if both the Cabelas and BP disappeared....We'd have nothing to complain about

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by AB2506

I agree about the cost of owning a physical store and that there is so much internet shopping. However, I am one of those people that is hard to size. ... I have to try stuff on and don't want to pay for shipping back and forth. ... Shoes/boots, I'm all over the place for sizing... So for me, there is still a benefit to a physical store.

I'm exactly the same way.

If I find something that fits great, I usually buy it on the spot. Especially if it's on sale!

[CDNOutdoorsman]

Just thinking out loud but with the "only" game in the city being BPS now, and the likes of WSS, Russell etc all gone, doesn't this open the door for someone to open a truely unique mid to high quality outdoors store? Imagine going into an outdoors store and it is all good to great quality clothes, gear, boots, etc. I was in MEC yesterday and I have to say that I was not very impressed. Yes they have some good gear/clothing but I just have such a hard time supporting them. We should be able to go into a store and not feel ashamed of the hobby we choose to spend out time and money on.
Maybe we should start an AO store...

[Outbound]

Originally Posted by CDNOutdoorsman

Just thinking out loud but with the "only" game in the city being BPS now, and the likes of WSS, Russell etc all gone, doesn't this open the door for someone to open a truely unique mid to high quality outdoors store? Imagine going into an outdoors store and it is all good to great quality clothes, gear, boots, etc. I was in MEC yesterday and I have to say that I was not very impressed. Yes they have some good gear/clothing but I just have such a hard time supporting them. We should be able to go into a store and not feel ashamed of the hobby we choose to spend out time and money on.
Maybe we should start an AO store...

It's possible, but there's alot of problems to overcome. Having worked in the hunting/fishing retail industry in an independent shop, I've seen the difficulties even a long established store can deal with.

Alot of it comes down to buying power. You need to be able to order and move inventory at levels high enough to get your costs down in order to compete with the big box stores. Contrary to popular opinion, general speaking the supplier cost of goods varies depending on how much you order and isn't a fixed price.

When WSS opened, we would have customers asking if we could price match on stuff like rifles. WSS was selling rifles for at or below our cost. We only made $100 per gun as it was. We just didn't have the buying power to get a low enough cost. For example, we might order 10 Remington Model 700s per season while WSS would order 100. Meanwhile, Cabela's Canada ordered 1000.

Everyone says "Oh, I'd rather pay a bit more to support the independent" but reality is that most people will go to wherever they can get something cheaper, even if it's only by a few percent.

So even if you had the land, the building, the staff and the online infrastructure, you still need to deal with being the unestablished independent with unproven buying power.

You also need to have the capital to pay for inventory up front. For a store like you're describing that can compete with Bass Pro, you would probably need a million bucks minimum in liquid cash just to get your initial inventory set up.

I think smaller independents right now should be looking at what the market wants that Bass Pro doesn't sell such as reasonably priced, good quality camo/outdoor apparel. They can/should then approach companies like for example Outdoor Research, and start carrying those product lines.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I'm exactly the same way.

If I find something that fits great, I usually buy it on the spot. Especially if it's on sale!

Anymore, If it actually works, and fits, I buy a second or third.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by CDNOutdoorsman

Just thinking out loud but with the "only" game in the city being BPS now, and the likes of WSS, Russell etc all gone, doesn't this open the door for someone to open a truely unique mid to high quality outdoors store? Imagine going into an outdoors store and it is all good to great quality clothes, gear, boots, etc. I was in MEC yesterday and I have to say that I was not very impressed. Yes they have some good gear/clothing but I just have such a hard time supporting them. We should be able to go into a store and not feel ashamed of the hobby we choose to spend out time and money on.
Maybe we should start an AO store...

I think the best bet would be to get a Sportsman Warehouse or a Scheels store in Calgary/Edmonton? I hear Scheels has really improved, but I don't think I've been in one for 15 years. I thought that Scheels' prices were high.

It would be ironic if a Sportsman Warehouse moved to Alberta. IIRC, Wholesale Sports bought a few Sportsman Warehouse in the Pacific Northwest. The border got in the way and that venture failed in a very few years.

[Puma]

Remember when Cabelas came to Canada and took over and shut down SIR in Winnipeg. That was my go to place for outdoors supplies for many years.

Originally Posted by AB2506

I was never happy that UFA closed Wholesale Sports. They carried stuff Bass Pro and Cabelas could/would not ever carry.

[W921]

Would an American retailer have any advantage in getting primers,powder etc? At Cabelas in Calgary I asked how comes they don't have good inventory like American stores and they said the Canadian was all separate. They couldn't get inventory from American Cabela stores. Why does everything have to suck in Canada. Everything scarce and costs to much or cannot get it for any price.
I like prophet river but they are long ways from me.

[W921]

Originally Posted by Puma

Remember when Cabelas came to Canada and took over and shut down SIR in Winnipeg. That was my go to place for outdoors supplies for many years.

Last time I was in SIR the fellow working there seemed anti gun or definitely anti handgun. Why would you hire someone like that in a gun shop?

[Northern Bob]

Originally Posted by CDNOutdoorsman

Just thinking out loud but with the "only" game in the city being BPS now, and the likes of WSS, Russell etc all gone, doesn't this open the door for someone to open a truely unique mid to high quality outdoors store? Imagine going into an outdoors store and it is all good to great quality clothes, gear, boots, etc. I was in MEC yesterday and I have to say that I was not very impressed. Yes they have some good gear/clothing but I just have such a hard time supporting them. We should be able to go into a store and not feel ashamed of the hobby we choose to spend out time and money on.
Maybe we should start an AO store...

Problem is these days people would use your store to check out or try on the gear and then order it cheaper online. Hard to compete with an online website and their low over head unless you have a house brand or exclusive arrangement.

[Pioneer2]

SIR and Herters

[W921]

Originally Posted by Northern Bob

Problem is these days people would use your store to check out or try on the gear and then order it cheaper online. Hard to compete with an online website and their low over head unless you have a house brand or exclusive arrangement.

Extremely expensive or hard for consumers to by ammo,reloading powders,primers and gun parts from the States. Why not stock these items instead of clothes?

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by W921

Extremely expensive or hard for consumers to by ammo,reloading powders,primers and gun parts from the States. Why not stock these items instead of clothes?

Its all market driven, and although here we have people looking to buy sport shooting items it is a tiny market compared to what the general public buys.

[W921]

I was in cabelas or bass pro shop yesterday in Northern Calgary. The staff who I didn't recognize was good. I'm not in there enough to know the staff but yesterday they seemed good.
Gun counter guy said with bass pro they can access American inventory, which with cabelas they couldn't work with American division of cabelas.
Hope he was right. He felt that primers and powder would be more available in future.

[Ackleyman]

I use to hate the clowns [not all of them] at Cabelas and Bass Pro gun counters. Especially when the store was not busy and 3-4 of them were in a huddle BS'n and would not give you the time of day..until they felt lilke it.
Have to need something real bad to even step foot in Bass Pro.
I got to know Pud @ Bashaw many years ago and after buying around 5 rifles he would actually come out of the back and talk to me. Ha. A great guy , know what you want and dont mess around and you had a friend. Repaired my Browning Hi Power 9mm after my attempt to remove magazine disconnect and didnt bite my head off. Never bought anything for many years , rifles or whatever from anyone except Pud. A gun shop with decent selection of firearms and good gunsmith is hard to beat. Have not been back since he sold.

[-JR-]

I'm sure like all of American stores that open shops in Canada like Cabela's and even Costco that we don't get the same stuff in the stores as they do in the States . Seems like we get less stuff on the shelfs and the pricing is starting to really climb lately. The bigger stores had low prices at one time until the smaller shops closed doors . Now prices are going up .

[nsmitchell]

I was in the other day and have found that Cabelas is now carrying more quality archery items. They are finally carrying the Instinct level of clothing as well. They have also improved their discounts for ex-military. Shop where you want but some things are still good there.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by nsmitchell

I was in the other day and have found that Cabelas is now carrying more quality archery items. They are finally carrying the Instinct level of clothing as well. They have also improved their discounts for ex-military. Shop where you want but some things are still good there.

I really do like the Instinct line. It's good to see that they are getting better inventory!