Has Cabelas gone down hill?

[Simpleman64]

Since Bass Pro acquired Cabela's I have turned my shopping habits to online purchases. It's just not the same as it was prior and I have a Cabela's 10 miles from the house.

 

[Nick87]

Stopped here today out of convenience. No idea how this plave is still in business. What a Shame

 

[nhenry]

Stopped here today out of convenience. No idea how this plave is still in business. What a Shame

I commit to making the drive across the city for Scheels instead of going 10 minutes away to the store formerly named Cabela's (for some dumb reason they decided to rename it Bass Pro here). It really is a shame.

 

[noharleyyet]

I recall making time to visit the Cabelas near Ft Worth at every opportunity...have not been back since they were rolled in to BP.

 

[BRI]

I have their credit card and have nearly $1k to use on whatever. I just can't seem to find that whatever to spend my $1K on. Does anyone know if I can use it on a gun?

 

[perma]

Stopped here today out of convenience. No idea how this plave is still in business. What a Shame

The one in Hoffman Estates? That's the one that tipped the scale for me. Were you bombarded by timeshare sales people?

 

[Slm864]

Use to drive 2 hours when I was a teenager and early 20s to go to cabelas. I thought it was the best place ever. They always had a bunch of great stuff. Now I wouldn’t go if they were giving stuff away for free. They suck.

 

[ThunderNocked]

I have their credit card and have nearly $1k to use on whatever. I just can't seem to find that whatever to spend my $1K on. Does anyone know if I can use it on a gun?

you should be able to redeem it on guns but probably have to do it in store because of the background check.

 

[Nick87]

The one in Hoffman Estates? That's the one that tipped the scale for me. Were you bombarded by timeshare sales people?

No but I think last time I was there I remember that bs. Only reason I went there is they had spinning wing replacement batteries like half price. I can remember that catalog every year as a kid. Then our first time stopping in Kearney NE. I thought I had won a young man's lottery. Now its like a home goods store.

 

[Nick87]

I have their credit card and have nearly $1k to use on whatever. I just can't seem to find that whatever to spend my $1K on. Does anyone know if I can use it on a gun?

That's a lot of roasted nuts and North face hoodies.

 

[noharleyyet]

I recall the days when you could call and speak with a tech about any product they had. Bought my first gun safe and serious (Wind River) binos from them. Even traded a rifle in on my first new Sako at the Ft Worth store. Bought a fair amount of camo and boots from them. Chit, had their catalogue memorized.

Enter Johnny Morris...

 

[MThuntr]

I have their credit card and have nearly $1k to use on whatever. I just can't seem to find that whatever to spend my $1K on. Does anyone know if I can use it on a gun?

I use my rewards on guns all the time. Buy online and the gun will go to the Cabelas of your choice. They do the background check when you get there.

A couple weeks ago their 10% coupon worked on guns and ammo.

 

[Nick87]

I recall the days when you could call and speak with a tech about any product they had

Yup lifetime warranty too. In my younger (and single) days I was a preferred customer (forget the amount annually you had to spend to earn for that status). Either way at the time I was proud of it. What a fuggin moron.

 

[Gellar]

Yup lifetime warranty too. In my younger (and single) days I was a preferred customer (forget the amount annually you had to spend to earn for that status). Either way at the time I was proud of it. What a fuggin moron.

Our cabelas been going downhill for a long time. Low paying jobs and just not enough workforce in the area. Anyways…The lifetime warranty did it for me. I developed a leak in my brand new Cabelas waders on a trip to Alaska, admittedly it was my fault, but the lifetime warranty was still good. I just wanted to exchange them for a new pair so I brought them to the C.S. Desk and ask to exchange them for another pair, but 1 size bigger. The C.S. representative looks me straight in the eye and says they do have a lifetime warranty but only for cabelas waders and she does not see where they say cabelas on them. So I look her straight back in the eye and say ma’am these waders are in the Outfitter pattern, only cabelas uses this pattern. And she replies, they don’t say cabelas on them. Finally after a few more rounds with the representative and another person comes out. He finally agrees with me that they are cabelas waders and I got a new pair.

I used to buy prizes at a steep discount from cabelas for kids fishing clinics and they would donate an orange vest, safety glasses and ear muffs for each kid in hunters safety class. After the switch to Bass Pro I call over there and tell them who I am and what I’m looking for and they reply they can only offer those deals to programs in the same state as the store. I can dam near see the store from my office, but it is in a different state.

Did I mention I worked there for 6 months after I graduated college and hadn’t gotten a full time job yet? I was done with my seasonal job in October so I needed a job. Cabelas was holding open interviews for the warehouse! $10 an hour plus shift differential and they offered a discount in the store AND you could payroll deduct purchases. Sign me up! So I go to the interview and fill out the application. They offer me a job on the spot, contingent on drug and alcohol screening. I pee in a cup and they put a breathalyzer in front of me to blow into. I go “you are kidding, right?” And the lady says “you’d be surprised!” I passed and started the next night! Night number 2 I show up to work and they give me a 2 way radio. I’m like “what’s this for?” And they made me the lead of that area of the warehouse.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Now that no one goes to Cabelas the bathrooms are really clean. I'll make a pit stop here and there when I see a Cabelas and leave them some "feedback"

 

[BRI]

That's a lot of roasted nuts and North face hoodies.

When I realize that $1k in bucks actually cost me about $100k in credit card usage, I hyperventilate a touch.

 

[kansasdad]

I’ve noticed that the Wichita Cabelas seems to have added employees compared to two years ago. We also had Scheels open as a mall anchor store this July. Way more traffic at Scheels compared with the Cabelas store.

Fewer Cabelas branded items, more Redhead items in the hunting clothing every time I go in to cruise the aisles. More fishing stuff, less hunting stuff. Lower level tents and bags compared with years ago. Way more clothing racks, more home goods too. And of course, no more Bargain Cave.

 

[perma]

This thread upsets me.

I remember as a kid that my parents would take me to Cabelas just to walk around and look at stuff. We would buy things here and there but it was such a privilege to look at the fish and the mounts. It was truly the worlds foremost outfitter.

My dad still has all the hardback catalogs that they used to send him. Lifetime warranty socks for half the price of Darn Tough socks nowadays.

My dad also has a M70 Cabelas Anniversary Edition rifle in a 300 Win Mag he bought from the Cabelas in Sidney. That gun meant something many years ago. That gun meant something many years ago, and while it still does, it’s a bit tainted. And the worst part is that you couldn’t really change it to Sportsman’s Wearhouse Edition or Scheels Anniversary collection, it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I’m going to bed, I got a deer hunt tomorrow….

 

[noharleyyet]

Anyone recall the sound of the little stopper pop guns you would buy your kids or grandkids just inside the entrance?

 

[Nick87]

Anyone recall the sound of the little stopper pop guns you would but your kids or grandkids just inside the entrance?

Yup.