craigdritchie Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Last summer I posted that Cabela's was looking to open retail stores here in Canada. They did open a store in Winnipeg (the former S.I.R. mail order location on Ellice Avenue), then announced a new 70,000 square foot store for Edmonton. Today they announced a third store, this one being built in Saskatoon and set to open in spring 2012. These three locations make a lot of sense for Cabela's, given these cities are the launching off spots for most of the northern fly-in fishing lodges. No "official" word yet of a store in Ontario, but I am told privately it is coming. More info here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) well I am going to boycott their prairie stores till they open one in Ontario make that Bradford Ontario..yeah............ we need one in Ontario Edited April 6, 2011 by Terry® Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Exciting in general but no way no how does it make financial sense to open a huge store in the prairies. I don't care how many fishermen use the area as a jump off point for fly ins. No way does that compete with the enormous market in the GTA. Anyhow, I've been on a whole bunch of fly ins over the years and have always been packed and prepared beforehand. I couldn't envision ever buying anything of substance enroute. Doesn't make any sense whatsoever! (Or just sour grapes on my part. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 well I am going to boycott their prairie stores till they open one in Ontario make that Bradford Ontario..yeah............ we need one in Ontario LOL Barrie makes more sence to me bud,but hey,it,s only a short drive north for ya. To me ,three out west is bull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Exciting in general but no way no how does it make financial sense to open a huge store in the prairies. I don't care how many fishermen use the area as a jump off point for fly ins. No way does that compete with the enormous market in the GTA. Anyhow, I've been on a whole bunch of fly ins over the years and have always been packed and prepared beforehand. I couldn't envision ever buying anything of substance enroute. Doesn't make any sense whatsoever! (Or just sour grapes on my part. ) I don't know about your part solo, but it's definitely sour grapes on mine!!!! When I was doing a ton of fly-ins I was always amazed at how many guys would show up without even basic stuff like line and steel leaders. They would arrive in town and spend the afternoon shopping for tackle (and booze). Then, fly out first thing the following morning. It was nuts. I can see the profitability in the western locations even without the fly-in business though. Both Edmonton and Saskatoon are absolutely flush with oil money these days, and most guys there fish and hunt (probably a higher proportion than in southern Ontario). The Edmonton boat show was two weeks ago - you would not believe how many high-end boats they sold there, and by high-end, I mean $50k Pro-Vs and $60k Rangers. Waaaaay more than at Toronto. (Belive it or not, the Edmonton boat show is LARGER than Toronto's). Guys out west have money to spend. Figure that with the comparatively low land values, and yeah, I can see profit in having stores there. That said - I still want a store in Ontario!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Still cheaper to order from the states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perchslayer666 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 It'll be tough for Cabelas to open a store in the GTA with competitors such as BPS, LeBaron, soon to be Sail, and the host of smaller tackle stores already in place... If there would be a Cabelas going up in the GTA, it'll have to be a much grander store and more competitive than the BPS store here already. As for one going up in Saskatoon, what else is there to do up there other than hunt and fish??? It'll be a good volume store, but definitely not a store meant for the fly-in lodges around there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I can see the profitability in the western locations even without the fly-in business though. Both Edmonton and Saskatoon are absolutely flush with oil money these days, and most guys there fish and hunt (probably a higher proportion than in southern Ontario). The Edmonton boat show was two weeks ago - you would not believe how many high-end boats they sold there, and by high-end, I mean $50k Pro-Vs and $60k Rangers. Waaaaay more than at Toronto. (Belive it or not, the Edmonton boat show is LARGER than Toronto's). Guys out west have money to spend. Figure that with the comparatively low land values, and yeah, I can see profit in having stores there. That makes sense, but still....every single Cabelas location in western Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I'd like them to open a store here, but as long as they're willing to ship stuff to my door, I'm a happy boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Sail is NOT a competitor....trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Exciting in general but no way no how does it make financial sense to open a huge store in the prairies. I don't care how many fishermen use the area as a jump off point for fly ins. No way does that compete with the enormous market in the GTA. Anyhow, I've been on a whole bunch of fly ins over the years and have always been packed and prepared beforehand. I couldn't envision ever buying anything of substance enroute. Doesn't make any sense whatsoever! (Or just sour grapes on my part. ) Can't wait for the Edmonton store to open in the fall!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Just a little FYI about Cabelas that I found fascinating when I dug deep into their web site. Before they got into the outdoors business, they were in the furniture biz in Nebraska. One of the brothers went to a furniture trade show in Chicago, and while there met a man selling wholesale hand tied fishing flies. The brother bought all of the flies that the guy had for a song. When he got back to Nebraska, he put ads in newspapers throughout the state and neighboring states that read "One dozen hand tied fishing flies for $1.00". He sold only one order. So he changed his ad to read "Free. One dozen hand tied fishing flies. Shipping and handling $1.00". He couldn't keep up with the orders after that. And that's where the marketing genius began. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 they should open one right off the 401 in the GTA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokestackLightnin Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) LOL Barrie makes more sence to me bud,but hey,it,s only a short drive north for ya. To me ,three out west is bull. The three out west are good market testers. Barrie does make very good sense with all the new development at Park Place I figured the announcement was coming soon. Now with the development proposed at Duckworth and 400 there are 2 spots in Barrie that would work. Both with 400 access that would keep the traffic flow in place. Edited April 6, 2011 by SmokestackLightnin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Lk Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have been to Cabelas in WPG several times & I have also been in their stores stateside as well as BPS stores south of the border.There is abolutely no comparison between the Wpg store & the American stores. Relax guys you have lost nothing by not getting a Cabelas in the GTA,you would find it dissapointing for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have been to Cabelas in WPG several times & I have also been in their stores stateside as well as BPS stores south of the border.There is abolutely no comparison between the Wpg store & the American stores. Relax guys you have lost nothing by not getting a Cabelas in the GTA,you would find it dissapointing for sure. Yeah well I doubt they'd convert an existing store that was crappy to begin with and call it Cabelas like they did in Winnipeg. If we ever get one it'll be a clone to their US stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdve23rveavwa Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Would love to see one here in Ontario...how about down London way, eh, Slowpoke??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bob Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Just as long as they NEVER build one anywhere in NYS I'm happy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Yeah well I doubt they'd convert an existing store that was crappy to begin with and call it Cabelas like they did in Winnipeg. If we ever get one it'll be a clone to their US stores. Correct. The Winnipeg store on Ellice Ave. used to be a S.I.R. store. The two new stores (Edmonton and Saskatoon) are brand new builds, and will look like the US stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adempsey Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Those are three fairly major cities in the country (5th, 9th and 17th largest cities in Canada by population) and they don't have much competition. It makes sense to me, but would really love one near me as well. They also sell a lot more than fishing gear, which is an important consideration. I'd be just as happy if I could order from them online using the US catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) Big corperations don't just enter a country on a whim and throw darts at a map to pick locations. That being said, the entire population of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined does not aproch what would be within a 2 hour drive of a store in the gta. Take a look at the where bps and cabelas have their stores in the lower 48, and factor in the population density of the areas/states. Cabelas is more midwest: http://www.cabelas.com/stores/stores_home.jsp?WTz_l=Header BPS is more east/south: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPageC?appID=94&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1 Edited April 6, 2011 by kickingfrog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjcanoe Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Sail is NOT a competitor....trust me. 4 whole locations?? LOL more of a hikers haven type store with some fishing gear as an afterthought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjcanoe Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Cabellas has a number of stores out in the middle of nowhwere in the US prarries and they seen to be still around.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beertech Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Rumour I heard is they allready bought land in burlington. Those are three fairly major cities in the country (5th, 9th and 17th largest cities in Canada by population) and they don't have much competition. It makes sense to me, but would really love one near me as well. They also sell a lot more than fishing gear, which is an important consideration. I'd be just as happy if I could order from them online using the US catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Rumour I heard is they allready bought land in burlington. Where... beside where they're going to move Wonderland to? Also rumour the Cabelas van was seen at the old Barrie Race Track property back in the fall... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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