Went to my local Cabela's in Huntsville yesterday to look for some scope rings for a 3/8" .22 rail that I could modify if needed, and man is that place sad compared to when it opened just over 2 years ago! I was part of the crew that helped set that store and open it, and I worked the gun department for the first 5 months or so before leaving, so I saw it in its original glory, especially the Gun Library.

I did take a walk through the Gun Library while I was in there, and all they had was overpriced "normal" used guns, and quite a few new guns filling the empty spaces. They even had one of the little Romanian M69 .22 Military Training Rifles that I just found at a local gun shop. I got mine out the door, fresh out of its wrapping and cosmoline for just under $175.00. They had theirs priced at $369.00 freakin' dollars, and didn't even have it labeled right!!! Instead of labeling it as a Romanian M69, they simply had it listed under the factory code where it was made! Idiots. I could have brought it to their attention but just didn't want to bother, especially knowing the way they treat their employees.... screw'em. That was probably the most unique gun they had in there; NONE of the nice, fancy, eye candy guns they used to have were to be found.

The only positive thing I can say about them is their ammo prices are still good, especially bricks of Aguila .22 and Blazer .22, so I'll go back for those. Other than that, the store was empty of customers, and I really can't see them staying open a whole lot longer. And that is so sad, because it was such a nice place in the beginning... before they ran off all the good, original employees!

Cabelas' problem is that they let themselves get too big.

Used to be, with just one or two stores and 90% of business being mail-order, they were a great outfit. They always had some pretty good buys on stuff.

It was always a treat to get that big catalog once a year and dream about all the things you'd like to buy.

Nowadays there are big and small stores everywhere and multiple catalogs coming in the mail every week. I don't like it one bit.

cabela's is now owned by bass pro. so, therein lies the problem i would think.

I went into my first-ever Cabela's last week (we don't have them around my neck of the woods). For what it is, it's large and seemingly well-stocked.

But I'm not a hunter, I have plenty of clothing, and I found their selection of pistols and revolvers underwhelming.

I remember going to the original store in Chappell, long before they started opening them up everywhere, my mom got a good deal on a Hudson Bay blanket. It was NOT a big store, they had inventory tucked everywhere...

Similar experience. I visited the Ft.Mill SC store recently in hopes to examine an HK45C that their gun library showed in stock. When I arrived at the gun room, I was told it had sold in November of last year. To make matters worse, the ASScioate tried to tell me the problem was actually with external vendors who had access to their library/database. I politely informed him that if external parties had that kind of access, they have bigger issues than an out of date library.

I think we're seeing the results of the recent corporate buy from Bass Pro. I went to a Cabelas recently to look at a scope that was in-stock online. Asked to see it, and they said there were none on hand. I showed them the online page that detailed that this Vortex scope was supposedly in the store..... and the guy just shrugged his shoulders and walked off.

I've had reason to call Cabelas on a couple of orders recently, and it seemed much more like I was dealing with a remote call center than someone in-house. The people helping were friendly enough, but they didn't seem at all familiar with the products and seemed very much removed. Plus they had accents that sounded more "inner-city". Didn't feel the way it used to.

All Cabelas (and other LGS) are good for is test driving the guns and scopes.

Time was when Cabela$ was an all afternoon affair. Going there was an event, what with the test ranges, in stock arms and goodies, and all.

Now, nobody has time for such shenanigans. If you order something online somewhere and are told you can get two day shipping, your response is, 'But I want it NOW!'

H&K-Guy

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
cabela's is now owned by bass pro. so, therein lies the problem i would think.

Last I talked to one of the guys at my local cabela's, they were still waiting til this year to figure out exactly what changes in management and job titles (and jobs themselves) Bass Pro was going to make.

I doubt OP's store's gone tits-up in two months of 2018.

I used to drive to the Cabelas in Dundee MI from Dayton a couple times a year. Like a mini vacation.
But they quit sending me the big catalog and when I called them to whine about that, they said they would send it to me for ten bucks. I gave them the ten bucks. And no catalog ever came to me.
No more $$$ for Cabelas from me!

This is very sad to hear. No Cabelas near us, the nearest one is in the Phoenix area.
Is this happening to all Cabelas stores?

Also, I see more Sportsman's Warehouse stores in So Cal. In the past I've been in two such stores and they were good, but not as much a "theme park" experience as Cabelas.

There was an announcement on the local news the other day that our local Big Bear store was closing in Gt Falls. They are a Chain, we have them in most larger cities...unsure if they are only in MT or not.

Apparently no longer viable to keep the doors open. But the good news the building will be occupied by North 40 a Ranch store, that DOES also sell firearms, ammo, reloading gear, fishing gear, etc. And at generally better prices than Big Bear.

I was pissed at Big Bear during the Obama years and the powder, .22 ammo, shortage era. As they gouged pretty good. $35 a pound powder, $60 a brick .22's etc. Maybe THAT caught up with them?

Thankfully we have Selway Armory in Missoula and another one in Bozeman. GREAT prices and a Master SIG Dealer.

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
There was an announcement on the local news the other day that our local Big Bear store was closing in Gt Falls. They are a Chain, we have them in most larger cities...unsure if they are only in MT or not.

Apparently no longer viable to keep the doors open. But the good news the building will be occupied by North 40 a Ranch store, that DOES also sell firearms, ammo, reloading gear, fishing gear, etc. And at generally better prices than Big Bear.

I was pissed at Big Bear during the Obama years and the powder, .22 ammo, shortage era. As they gouged pretty good. $35 a pound powder, $60 a brick .22's etc. Maybe THAT caught up with them?

Thankfully we have Selway Armory in Missoula and another one in Bozeman. GREAT prices and a Master SIG Dealer.

That doesn't surprise me. I imagine the Billings store will suffer a similar fate, especially after the shooting last fall.

http://billingsgazette.com/bus...d3-91b7071c82f0.html

We have a new one all too convenient. I’ve dropped some change there! Still excited about the 10/22 for $169 I got for Christmas!

A few years ago they opened a store near us in Delaware but it's half the size of the one in Hamburg PA. If it's raining and most of the work is done we'll take a drive over very seldom come home with much, too much Chinese junk. Most of our purchases are online now. Chris

My local one was going way downhill well before the Bass Pro buyout, so I don't buy that as an excuse. I attribute it to the way corporate treats its employees and drives off the good ones (practically ALL of the ones who opened the Huntsville store had left within the first year), and they get replaced by others who are robots who just follow orders and don't know crap, and don't know much of anything about guns or much of anything else.

Even while I was there, if sales for one week were off by even the tiniest bit from that projected, everyone's hours were cut drastically and everything went into drastic "emergency mode" cut-backs. They didn't care who got hurt or how it affected business, just as long as they could save a buck. It's coming back to bite them in the arse!

Having visited 3 locations over the years; Hamburg, PA, Gonzales, LA and East Hartford, CT, I’m sorry to hear of the decline.

There were times I’d detour a bit out of my way to pick up stuff @ Cabelas. The Gun rooms were awesome.

Nearest one to me is Reno. About a solid 3-4 hour drive. We stopped there once on our way home was underwhelmed. Felt just like bass pro with overpriced stuff. Only cool thing was to touch some guns and accessories that are impossible to legally obtain here in Ca.