the walmartness that is basspro

[Billy Bob]

I'm not sure what it is about Cabelas that you guys like. The one in Michigan was very very underwhelming for me. Maybe because I don't hunt? One store I really like that is sorta a big box is Gander Mountain near the airport in Buffalo.

 

Not sure what you like about Expensive Mountain.......errrrr Gander Mountain....I went there today to kill time until the ice melts.....it didn't work.....but anyway this store is a JOKE....they don't even have ONE CASH REGISTER open....you have to go to the customer service desk to cash out and it's been like that EVERY time I go there...not many employees working there.....it's just a matter of time until this place closes for good...sooner than later if BPS ever builds the store in downtown Buffalo like they have promised for over 5 years. But for the first time in over 3 years I did buy something there........2 packages of tinsel jig for crappie fishing...cost 4 jigs $6.50.

 

Bob

[ehg]

There are 244 Walmarts and 76 Walmart Superstores in Canada as of Jan 2010.

Really...how many Dollaramas in Canada

[JohnF]

Not sure what you like about Expensive Mountain.......errrrr Gander Mountain....I went there today to kill time until the ice melts.....it didn't work.....but anyway this store is a JOKE....they don't even have ONE CASH REGISTER open....you have to go to the customer service desk to cash out and it's been like that EVERY time I go there...not many employees working there.....it's just a matter of time until this place closes for good...sooner than later if BPS ever builds the store in downtown Buffalo like they have promised for over 5 years. But for the first time in over 3 years I did buy something there........2 packages of tinsel jig for crappie fishing...cost 4 jigs $6.50.

 

Bob

 

Every once in a while GM has a good deal. I picked up the Calcutta @ $99.95 on New Years Day down in Twinsburg OH. I think I was the only customer in the store. They also had a Quantum Energy spinning reel for the same price. But generally I don't buy much there.

 

JF

[irishfield]

Really...how many Dollaramas in Canada

 

616 at last count !! lol

[Spiel]

Really...how many Dollaramas in Canada

 

Apparently about a 1000.

 

dollaramas in Canada

[JohnAB]

The BPS out here opened last year at this time. been there 3 or 4 times. Nice store but staff not at all knowledgable when it comes to their products. Selection could be better as well.

 

On a positive, Cabelas announced just this week they are opening 2 new stores in western Canada. One to be open this spring, one this fall. holdfast, they will announce in two weeks the exact locations but rumours are Regina and Red Deer although I am going with Saskatoon and Edmonton. Never been one to go with the flow.

[steverowbotham]

BPS is a retail outlet, so not all the staff is going to have a deep knowledge base. some of them are part time students paying bills, some are just merchandisers and shelf stockers. We have many employees that have a vast knowledge, and there are some in each department at all times, I guarantee it.

 

As far as pricing on products, some is up, some is down thats the same anywhere. Shops around on portable ice huts and find a cheaper place.. if you can, let me know.

[Andrew]

I remember those days! How about (for anyone in the Kitchener area) Hiway Market...my buddy and I used to bike there from Waterloo to check out the fishing tackle back in our early teens.

 

Haha. I remember Hiway market, that place was great. I was quite young then but it was always a thrill to get to go UPSTAIRS to the toy section. It seemed like a dungeon up there but it was always full of toys...

 

Now.. What happened to Hiway market? They had to shut down, and now there is a Zehrs on top of it.

[vinnimon]

I just go there to stare at the Beaver....

At which check out or ilse was the cute on working in?

[irishfield]

Sorry Vince.. I'm short and I have to look up to see it...

[vinnimon]

Sorry Vince.. I'm short and I have to look up to see it...

The ilse# or the beaver?

[vinnimon]

FYI wayne I goto the local ctc and get prices on auto parts,then I asked the young lady where they display the racks .I nod to thank her then go on my merry way. My little treat at CTC.

[MuskyGreenHorn]

I just want to point out that for every dollar you spend as bass pro would have been spent at a local shop if basspro wasn't there. i think there was enough healthy competetion between stores in the GTA before bass pro came along.

 

I agree that fishing stuff with bass pro name on it usually sub-par when compared to the product it intends to copy/mimic. They fishing section actual has a pretty pathetic selection, since half of it flooded with stuff with their own name on it.

 

Someone pointed out about internet sales, good point. I have to agree.

 

Most local shops would be happy to order in something if they don't have it in stock. You mean I have to wait... Gasp, oh the horror. Good customer service is worth paying for and driving to imo.

 

I mentioned my concept in the openng post. If you buy local, your money stay local, therefore it has a better chance of ending up back in your pocket. Its not rocket science. I honestly try and stay out of all big box stores, especially ones that aren't Canadian, which is most of them. Like I said, if I spend money at a shop down the street, maybe that person will come eat at my restraunt, or buy something at my clothing store, or use my landscaping buisness. When you spend your hard earned money at BPS, where does it go? Yes I get that most of the products come from overseas, china, taiwan, mayalsia, blah blah blah, so it doesn't matter where you buy them. Trust me, that gets to me as well. I really like x-raps, guess where they are made, Estonia. Not Finland, no wonder they are junk. The point is at least some of your money stays local by shopping at a local shop. I have actually started buying some lures and baits directly from the makers. I am currently obsessed with musky fishing and some baits i buy now are right from the guys who labour to build them themselves in their own basements and garages. In the future I also hope to buy my rods this way as well. Its pricey, but a few quality items will get your further than a bunch of mass produced ones imo.

 

You save a buck today sure, but what is the cost in the future? I beleive we have to start somewhere. I made my choice and stoppped going to PBS, Walmart, home depo all of it. Just wanded to see if anyone else out there had as well. I do believe everyone can do as they please, I don't begrudge anyone. Thanks for sharing.

Edited March 13, 2010 by MuskyGreenHorn

[asdve23rveavwa]

Haha. I remember Hiway market, that place was great. I was quite young then but it was always a thrill to get to go UPSTAIRS to the toy section. It seemed like a dungeon up there but it was always full of toys...

 

Now.. What happened to Hiway market? They had to shut down, and now there is a Zehrs on top of it.

Yeah, the toy section was the other biggie in that place in my even younger days. As far as the fishing tackle they sold, I still have and use on occasion a Lightning Rod that is almost 27 years old...think it was a birthday gift for my 18th, that was purchased there!

[lllmojo]

just pick up a HDS-5 for $299 at BPS today, i love BPS!

[archie_james_c]

Walmart, BassPro, Cabela's, Cambodian Tire, etc are everything that is wrong with this world and one day it will put us all in the poor house. Soon everything will be built oversea's and we will all be crying that there's no jobs when in fact it was our own personal greed that drove everything to be built off shore.

 

I'm not saying "shame on you" for shopping at any of them, because I do it myself. But I personally think we should all be ashamed for supporting such companies....

Edited March 13, 2010 by archie_james_c

[irishfield]

At least I know when I shop at Canadian Tire Archie.. that my part of the profit, from their 7.5 BILLION dollars in sales per year, is staying in Canada ! Billes daughter is still in control of what he started way back when, 1925, as Hamilton Tire in downtown TO..

 

..good to keep your own share values in check as well..

Edited March 13, 2010 by irishfield

[archie_james_c]

At least I know when I shop at Canadian Tire Archie.. that my part of the profit, from their 7.5 BILLION dollars in sales per year, is staying in Canada ! Billes daughter is still in control of what he started way back when, 1925, as Hamilton Tire in downtown TO..

 

Sure a sliver of their profit stays in Canada...the rest pays for their entire inventory of junk exported from China and other Asian countries.

 

I'm interested to know how much of that money stays in Canada? How many Canadian jobs is "Canadian Tire" supporting? Well...if you read the bottom of 90% of the stuff they sell...not a whole lot. The only Canadian job's it supports are the stores employee's...and they treat them real good don't they...kinda like how well Walmart and McDonalds treats their employee's.

 

"Gee sir, how does minimum wage, and no benefits sound? Ya we'll give you just *barely* enough hours to keep you classed as Part-time!!!"

 

God bless Capitalism!!!!

[irishfield]

Sure a sliver of their profit stays in Canada

 

Report back when you've discovered the difference between net retained profits, gross sales, direct expenses and the cost of inventory. At least with CTC the entire profit portion stays in Canada! None of the others you mentioned do...

 

I think their yearly corp meeting in Hawaii gets logged under "misc expenses" though! .. lol

[archie_james_c]

Report back when you've discovered the difference between net retained profits, gross sales, direct expenses and the cost of inventory. At least with CTC the entire profit portion stays in Canada! None of the others you mentioned do...

 

I think their yearly corp meeting in Hawaii gets logged under "misc expenses" though! .. lol

 

 

What I meant by that was, what does their "profit staying in Canada" support besides Canadian Taxes and CT's upper managements pockets?

 

I'm not saying I know more about this than you or anything. I would just like to know. If I come across snobby I'm sorry that's not what I'm tying to do.

[HTHM]

Irish, you do realize theat Beaver is not airworthy, right? I mean, you can blow on it all you want and nothing will happen!

[irishfield]

what does their "profit staying in Canada" support besides Canadian Taxes and CT's upper managements pockets

 

I think you answered a lot of your own question there... our economy first and foremost on both accounts.

 

I don't know it all either.. but I do have an in as to the goings on. My wife's god father was at one time the chairman of CTC corp.... He worked his way up to owning the largest store in Canada in Saskatoon, but for the last decade or so has owned a small "retirement" store in Calgary. I believe about 100 employee livelyhoods and ~ 20 million in gross sales for our economy.

Edited March 13, 2010 by irishfield

[irishfield]

Irish, you do realize theat Beaver is not airworthy, right? I mean, you can blow on it all you want and nothing will happen!

 

 

Trust me Albert.. If I can get that down and take it home.. it would be airworthy within a year ! It's a waste of aluminum hanging up there...

[Joey]

Mornin Mike, I think that's probably the store where Paul (Tybo) bought his knife when we were down there in October. That knife was a work of art fer sure !!!

 

You mean the knife Joey picked out and Paul bought for Joey

 

This one here:

 

[archie_james_c]

I think you answered a lot of your own question there... our economy first and foremost on both accounts.

 

I don't know it all either.. but I do have an in as to the goings on. My wife's god father was at one time the chairman of CTC corp.... He worked his way up to owning the largest store in Canada in Saskatoon, but for the last decade or so has owned a small "retirement" store in Calgary. I believe about 100 employee livelyhoods and ~ 20 million in gross sales for our economy.

 

 

So like I thought. CT's company pockets, first class hotel and airfare for our MP's and govt. officials and minimum wage for everyone else.

 

 

I guess the American dream isn't 2 cars in every garage and a white picket fence. More like a bus pass and a slum apartment.