Bass Pro Shops
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held sporting goods and outdoor goods store headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. In addition to the Outdoor World store located at the corner of Sunshine and Cambell in Springfield, Bass Pro Shops has over 30 large retail stores in the United States and one in Ontario, Canada. It also owns and operates subsidiaries such as Tracker Boats, Big Cedar Lodge, and Redhead. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.
Contents |
[edit] History
The owner, John L. Morris, began his career in sporting goods in the back of the Brown Derby liquor store he managed, located near Table Rock Lake and Branson, Missouri. The small shop sold homemade bait and worms. As the popularity grew for Morris' offerings, the enterprise grew and Bass Pro Shops was incorporated 1972. BPS mailed its first catalog in 1974. Soon, it became the world's largest mail order sporting goods store. In 1984, construction began on the Outdoor World Showroom in Springfield, MO. Big Cedar Lodge opened in 1984 on Table Rock Lake. In November of 2001, the State of Missouri made use of Outdoor World's popularity as a tourist destination, and opened the Wonders of Wildlife museum next door to the store in Springfield.
[edit] Locations
- Springfield, Missouri (headquarters, Catalog Outlet, and main store)
Alabama
- Leeds, Alabama (under construction near Birmingham, Alabama)
- Spanish Fort, Alabama (under construction near Mobile, Alabama)
Arizona
- Mesa, Arizona (under construction near Phoenix)
California
- Manteca, California (planned, construction pending)
Colorado
Florida
- Destin, Florida
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Dania Beach)
- Fort Myers, Florida
- Islamorada, Florida (World Wide Sportsman, Islamorada)
- Orlando, Florida (International Drive)
Georgia
Illinois
- Gurnee, Illinois (in Gurnee Mills near Chicago)
Indiana
- Clarksville, Indiana (across the Ohio River from Louisville)
- Merrillville, Indiana (pending; in the Indiana portion of Chicagoland)
Iowa
- Council Bluffs, Iowa (across the Missouri River from Omaha)
Louisiana
- Bossier City, Louisiana (near Shreveport)
- Denham Springs, Louisiana (planned, construction pending near Baton Rouge)
Kansas
- Olathe, Kansas (under construction near Kansas City) Scheduled to open February 2007
Maryland
- Hanover, Maryland (in Arundel Mills near Baltimore)
Michigan
- Auburn Hills, Michigan (near Detroit)
Mississippi
- Pearl, Mississippi (near Jackson)
Missouri
- Branson, Missouri (a major tourist area)
- Columbia, Missouri
- Independence, Missouri (under construction near Kansas City)
- St. Charles, Missouri (near St. Louis)
North Carolina
- Concord, North Carolina (in Concord Mills near Charlotte)
Nevada
New York
- Auburn, New York
- Buffalo, New York (planned, demolition set to begin in 2006/2007, will be located downtown on the Inner Harbor at site of old War Memorial Auditorium "The Aud" and will be Bass Pro's first urban store)
Ohio
- Fairfield, Ohio (in Cincinnati Mills near Cincinnati)
- Rossford, Ohio (near Toledo; announced 10-17-06, construction begins Spring 2007, opens 2008)
Oklahoma
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (near Tulsa)
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (in Bricktown entertainment district)
Ontario
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (a major tourist area)
Tennessee
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Nashville, Tennessee (in Opry Mills)
- Sevierville, Tennessee (Kodak community; near the Smoky Mountains tourist area)
Texas
- Garland, Texas (near Dallas
- Grapevine, Texas (near Dallas and Fort Worth)
- Katy, Texas (in Katy Mills near Houston)
- San Antonio, Texas (Opened November 18, 2006. Largest shop in Texas. Fourth largest in USA.)
Virginia
- Hampton, Virginia (the Peninsula portion of the Hampton Roads area)
- Richmond, Virginia (under construction)
[edit] Special presentations
In the Orlando, Fla., store every Sat., Sun., and Wed., Ben Beckner holds fish feedings and educational fishing demonstrations in the 23,000 gallon aquarium, located near the center of the store. There is a wide variety of fresh and salt-water fish in the aquarium, they include red drum, black drum, large-mouth bass, tarpon, garfish, chain pickerel, sunfish, crappie, and catfish (including the largest living albino catfish on record). Pro-staff use advanced ecological tecnology to allow these fish to thrive in the same environment.
[edit] Affiliation with NASCAR
Bass Pro Shops and its owner John L. Morris have had a longtime interest in NASCAR racing. Bass Pro has sponsored such racers as Dale Earnhardt, Kerry Earnhardt, and Martin Truex Jr. Truex won the 2004 and 2005 Busch Series championships in the #8 Bass Pro Shops car. Bass Pro Shop also sponsors the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 during the regular NASCAR season.
