Bass Pro Outdoor World - The "Las Vegas casino" of sporting goods stores

Conor Watkins' Ozark Mountain Experience
Article 55
Bass Pro Outdoor World - "The Las Vegas Casino" of sporting goods stores
By Conor Watkins

Bass Pro Outdoor World
-The "Las Vegas Casino" of sporting goods stores

One aspect of enjoying the outdoors is the clothing and equipment that go along with outdoor recreation. Although there are many stores at which equipment can be bought, but there is only one Bass Pro Shops World Headquarters.

Bass Pro Shop's world headquarters is located in Springfield, MO and claims this to be the largest sporting goods store in the world. This claim is probably the truth, as the store offers an enormous selection of product categories and brands. The store sells everything from top of the line products to more entry level equipment and everything in between.

Bass Pro is quite a place indeed. Upon walking into the store, one might feel like they have entered a Las Vegas Casino. Not a penny has been spared on making the store look and feel unlike any other sporting goods store. Instead of seeing structural steel and concrete holding up the building, one will notice what appear to be huge timbers supporting the roof and walls. The building has been made to look much like a large first class hunting lodge and is definitely not the typical sporting goods store located within a strip mall. Although a trip to Wal-Mart may satisfy most basic sporting good needs, the entire 300,000 square foot Bass Pro Outdoor World offers much more and is considerably larger than the average Wal-Mart store.

Bass Pro has been divided into different sections, depending on product categories. As with a Las Vegas casino, the store has been laid out so that one must pass through as much of the store as possible to get to any other part. This makes the customer see as much merchandise as possible on the way to their intended target and increases the chance of an impulse buy. Although the store contains zero slot machines, it appears to be quite successful at getting to peoples’ money.

One can buy almost any sporting good at the store. There are sections dedicated to golf, fishing, firearms, and an entire section dedicated to boats/marine equipment. These sections are not just ordinary store departments. Each department features exceptional displays of the product being sold. The fishing section features a large tank of native Missouri game fish. There is also a saltwater aquarium and massive four story waterfall in different parts of the store. The firearms and archery section features an indoor firing range where buyers can test their purchases. This section also features a realistic laser firing range where one can shoot at simulated three dimensional scenes with various animals that react when shot by the laser. Other departments include mens/womens clothing, footwear, athletic wear, camping, and more. No matter the department visited, one can be assured that there will be something interesting to view along the way. In addition, the store houses a McDonalds and its own sit-down restaurant, Hemingway’s.

Part of the store is dedicated to the Bass Pro Fish and Wildlife Museum, a comprehensive museum of stuffed game animals and fish from around the world. The various animals are situated in realistic backdrops in lifelike poses. Also included are antique guns, rods, reels, and more. Although entrance to the rest of the store is free, this museum costs the visitor a fee of around $5.50. At the time of the author’s visit, the store was packed with customers and the museum was much less crowded, serving as a relief from the hustle and bustle in the rest of the store. For those who don’t go broke in the store, this museum is well worth a visit. For those who enjoy this museum, the Wonders of Wildlife – American National Fish And Wildlife Museum is worth seeing. This museum is not owned by Bass Pro but is located next to the store and is accessible from the same parking lot. A fee is also charged for entry to this museum. See http://www.wondersofwildlife.org for more information on this location.

The Fish And Wildlife Museum features lifelike displays of various game fish
and animals. A mountain lion and big horn sheep are featured on the above display.

A large bull moose is also featured in the museum.

Bass Pro started as a small operation in Springfield, MO in 1972 and has since grown to become a nationwide leader in the sale of sporting goods. The company offers its own lines of products including the highly successful Bass Tracker line of boats and marine products. The stores continually offer various events and promotions throughout the year to attract more customers. The Bass Pro catalog is available online and in paper form. The company has also opened resorts such as Big Cedar Lodge in Branson and Dogwood Canyon to bring customers to the outdoors, and not just their retail stores.

Bass Pro places a large emphasis on the conservation of fish and wildlife resources. The company gives thousands of dollars to support educational and conservation programs every year. The company believes in encouraging its customers to enjoy and conserve the great outdoors.

Bass Pro Shops is located about 100 miles from Rolla in Springfield, MO at 1935 S. Campbell. To get to the store, head west on I-44 to Hwy 65 South (exit 82 – this is also the Branson exit). Exit at Sunshine and head west (right turn) and turn left on S. Campbell. Bass Pro will immediately be located on the right. Regular store hours are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The store is only closed on Christmas and is subject to other special hours on other holidays. For more information on these hours, call them at 417-887-7334 and see them on the web at http://www.outdoor-world.com. There is also another store located in St. Charles, MO but it is not nearly as large as the headquarters location in Springfield.