I'm gonna use up all my Cabela's points and get rid of the card.

The Cabela brothers or Johnny Morris. Six of one, half dozen of the other. If you compare prices item by item of the same brand, there is no difference. Both families have used their stores to fund tax deductible hunting trips in the guise of store decorations. Good for them but I don't think this is going to make any difference, at least in the short term. And at my age, I don't worry about the long term.

Sir, I think you have it a little wrong. First, one of the brothers is dead . In addition , Cabela's is a publically traded company . The family actually has little to do with it any more .

Not sure which one is still alive but the trophy room pics I seen a year or two ago were simply amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Sir, I think you have it a little wrong. First, one of the brothers is dead . In addition , Cabela's is a publically traded company . The family actually has little to do with it any more .

Quite true. But in the 4 Cabelas stores I have visited, most of the mounts were shot by the family members, according to the plaques. Both were originally family affairs now writ large. Loss of competion is generally a bad thing for consumers and that's us.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:
I've been of the mindset of late, that Cabelas has cheapened EVERYTHING they sell. You used to be able to go in and buy Boyt Harness quality duffles and such. Now its some cheap look alike trash that makes one or two trip before it wear through. They fell into the trap of convincing themselves that as long as "we supervise the quality" it's the same quality as the name brands we used to sell.

I've since switched over to Duluth Pack. Their stuff is what BH at Cabelas used to be.

Its the same in Tackle. I never go to Cabelas and they are 6 miles from me. BPS is 30 or so.

BPS may have cheap offshore trash as well but they have the quality name brand right beside it. Fishing pliers, Fishing Knives, Hook sharpeners, Braid scissors. the list goes on and on.

And in Phoenix particularly, the staff at Cabelas are a bunch of halfwit, lazy, stiffs with bad attitudes. BPS, folks are noticeably higher quality.

That may just be a function of the store manager in Phoenix.

I agree fully, 15 years ago they sold great stuff.

Cabelas went on a slide ever since it went public. But this is likely the end. I haven't done business with Bass Pro in years.

Generally, it seems to me the poorer quality items are in the stores . Better things are available on line. Regardless, it does seem that quality has slipped.

IMHO Cabela's has been declining for years....it was almost a monument when it was a destination in Sidney, NB....once they started to expand, the decline was noticeable....once they went public then Wall Street affect took over and the market focus was lost in the greed for expansion....it was OVER!! When Dick and Mary were no longer involved in day to day management, and Dick's brother....as well as old masters such as the Gun Library side like Hollis Perkins retired...they were on the slippery slope!!...the rapid expansion killed them!!
You can be as critical as you wish but unless you know Johnny Morris, CEO of Bass Pro Shops, you might get a real surprise....he is a VERY talented retailer who has built a chain in very short order....he covets and nurturers his managers, and he is also a successful NASCAR owner and driver as well as a very serious tournament billfisherman. Stand by for better things to come!! Johnny is a mover and shaker...
By combining management to lower overhead, utilize mass buying power of BETTER products, eliminate non-producing stores, and listening to customers....it might be best thing that could happen for all of us??!! Think about it, he just eliminated his biggest competitor too!!
One of Cabela's greatest Achilles Heels was their $10/hour employees....you get what you pay for...and not those with intense knowledge we expect from our local Go To shops...bet that improves too??!! They made some big booboos in gun focus....ie Sabatti and others that cost reputation, and further, I never went to Cabela's to buy that cherished firearm...they weren't there and they frankly offended most sellers on offers on quality used guns too....
You will still go to your local dealer for the specialized guns, or high end brokers...Cabela's also failed when they attempted to corner the double rifle market some 15 years ago....and really got burned in the process....lots of unhappy buyers that can't sell even today at prices they paid...I call it the Cabela's Double Bubble!!
I look for better years ahead "Under New Management!!"....the Costco of Sporting Goods??
Cheers,

quote:

Originally posted by Heym 450/400:
Scheels is better....much better

Wish we had one in FL.

Jeff

There is no denying that Cabela's is not what it used to be.
I stopped in at four of the stores on a road trip last week. I have been to about a dozen total over the years.
The most remarkable sight in all those I have seen is in the Kansas City, KS store, their Africa panorama, iPhone shots below, from a few days ago:



It is big. Many herds of full body mounts, and some inspired background landscape painting. What museum has anything better? None.
5.5 billion bucks buys a lot of art.

I hope they keep Cabela's open as Cabela's. Having shopped at several different locations of each, I far prefer Cabela's over basspro, and the last time I did go to a bass pro, it was a let down to say the least, and most of the time was spent fending off people wanting to sell me a timeshare, and looking for my wife so we could go. I didn't even buy anything. The last time I went to Cabela's my wife was pulling at my belt trying to pry me out of the store, and my bank account was $3,500 lighter.

Even still, I prefer sportsman's warehouse to either of them.

I've been in Cabela's in Sidney, Kearney, NE and Bowling Green, KY and could always find plenty to buy. Our BPS here in Nashville leaves a lot to be desired. Both rifles I bought from BPS were defective right out of the box; they NEVER have ammo I shoot, nor the reloading dies; shot shell ammo is priced over the moon and rarely do you find any shoes/boots/waders or clothing that's not made in China. If you do, it's 10 X higher. I'll a much bigger fan of Cabela's but now only time will tell. We have Academy sports, Dick's and Gander Mountain but each are not large stores. Academy has good hunting clothes including brand name, Dick's has guns but not much else & Gander is a nice store but you must search for deals or pay higher prices.

If you are buying anything from China, you are killing your own economy.

Buy local, support your own economy.
I bet that if someone opened an "American Outfitter" store and only sold locally produced equipment, they would do very well.

quote:

Originally posted by Venture South:
If you are buying anything from China, you are killing your own economy.

Buy local, support your own economy.
I bet that if someone opened an "American Outfitter" store and only sold locally produced equipment, they would do very well.

I'd be all for it, but most people would whine that it was too expensive. The majority of people are nearly impossible to satisfy nowadays.