Is Cabela’s played out?

[stayx015]

Everything is Redhead. It's Quite sad really. Ok fishing store, but still expensive compared to your local shop.

 

[jb1842]

My insulated hunting clothes and boots are 12 years old Cabelas brand. Still going strong. I only go to Cabelas now so my son can look at all the animal displays. I was looking at a used Marlin .22 there a few months ago. It was priced more than a new one!

 

[Akwoodchuck]

The Cabelas brand for me has always meant top quality for the price....but I've only been in the ANC store exactly once...couldn't see anything I had to have, nothing to bring me back...bought my daughter a sweatshirt. They really need to get back to focusing on mail order....

 

[rgroves79]

The arrival of the Fall Catalog used to be something we looked forward to in our house and we also drove the 4 or so hours several times to visit the big PA store before they started opening all of the smaller ones. The quality of their clothing has gone down big time over the years. I still have long johns, pants, and a parka that are in decent shape after 20+ years. Rarely wear it anymore because the new stuff (first lite, etc) is lighter and warmer.

I have a Cabelas and a BPS within 15 minutes of my house but the big local shop has a better selection and usually better prices on most items. I definitely miss the old Cabelas. Sad to see it go.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I stop by from time to time. I like rooting around in the Gun Library. I like that I can take Shadow in with me. I part with my money pretty easily, but it is becoming increasingly rare for Cabelas to get any of it.

 

[cp25od]

The stores are still fun to browse but I would never pay their retail prices. They are always ridiculously high.

 

[journeyman713]

The slow drawn out Death of Cabelas is like losing an old good friend to a nasty disease. Nothing to do but watch, powerlessly.

Only the memories are left ...
Coming over the hill seeing the majestic building was like coming upon the Emerald City itself!!! Hyperventilating like a kid on Christmas morning!
Hardly able to wait to get to all the stuff I didn't even know I absolutely Needed!

I try not think about the last 5 times I went there, I bought nothing, and walked out pissed off.

Thanks to BPS there are 2 gas stations, and a hardware store, that stepped up to fill the void, and are now a better sporting goods resource!

 

[ManyBullets]

Sad indeed. Kinda reminds me of Playboy going by the wayside.

Used to be so exciting to get the latest catalog and their branded items were always good quality. Still have a few items that I enjoy but trying to shop there is such a joke that I don't even stop anymore. They should've gone Amazon like someone else said with a few regional brick and mortar shops as tourist attractions.

Seems like my experience is similar to most everyone here. Lots of good memories and sad to see an old friend circling the drain.

 

[nam1975]

I’ve actually been looking for older lightly used Cabelas gear, it was good stuff.

When they went from the large destination stores( Milan MI) to the smaller stores was the 1st step.

I don’t know who does inventory for the Ohio stores, but they’re not from Ohio. SMH. Center fire ammo is 10 to 1 over slugs and straight wall.
Flat bottom boats 2 miles from Lake Erie...

I’m back to my local retailer Fin Feather Fur, local shop for fishing gear, and Camofire for random stuff on sale

 

[cuerro viejo]

When you consolidate buying and only use Bass Pro buyers you get a sportswear apparel business, not a hunting store. Cabela’s is dead. I hope Scheels comes on strong

 

[Fatcamp]

We give our money to Scheels. They price match on items if that's your thing.

 

[Oregonboy]

I miss Cabela's brand clothing. I have a chamois Cabelas button-up shirt that I love and wish I could buy more of. Instead, everything is RedHead Brand, which feels cheap and doesn't fit me very well. They will go the way of Sears if they don't make a change.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

I live almost right across the street from one and rather drive across town to sportsman’s if I don’t buy online. Not only do I get the worst customer service there but most of the stuff seems like cheap junk now. Used to be a place we’d get excited to stop in during road trips.

 

[beginner]

Sadly, YES!

 

[Dentonens9]

I’ve seen a major decline across the board since bass pro took over

 

[buckfever34]

I agree that the decline has been sad to watch.

 

[MtnOyster]

Pretty sad watching that place go down the drain like it had. I’m sure BP will eventually absorb Cabelas until it’s gone.

I hate it but what a business move by BP, buy out your biggest competitor and use that check for a tax deduction for the next 3-5 years or maybe longer....game over...

 

[archp625]

I went into mine a week ago in KCK. They moved the fishing stuff back where the boats were and built a huge new display. On top of that display read BPS. That pretty much told me that Cabelas will one day go away. It has already turned into a BPS.

My go to store now is Scheels or online.

 

[Squamch]

Cabelas sucks, but not as badly as Bass Pro.
At least Cabelas hired the guys that used to work at the small shops that they drove out of business. Sure, they pay them a lot less, and don't actually care about them at all, but at least there is local knowledge behind the counter. Bass Pro is full of tree stand whitetail gear and fashion accessories, on the Canadian wet coast.

 

[Dust Rider]

Stopped by the Billings MT store two months ago. I haven't been to a Cabelas in over a decade, nor did I know about the BPS merger until I read this form. Yup, it was like WalMart. Huge ass people eating large chunks of fudge. I walked around noticed no more bargain cave, cheap stuff and left without a purchase. Will never return with options like Sportsman, REI, etc.