First trip to Cabelas

[big guy]

Took a trip over to Barrie yesterday to check out the new Cabela's. Not going to mince words, I wasn't impressed. Much smaller than I was anticipating, as a fisherman, extremely disappointed in the fishing section, bargain cave had hardly anything in it. I won't be going back, waste of time.

[Sour_Squirrel]

Sounds like the Gander Mountain in Buffalo...

[davey buoy]

I've heard the same,waiting for the next flyer to at least make it worth my while. BPS,kinda spoils it for most of us I have also heard.Apparently if you are a hunter,you hit the jackpot!

Edited August 4, 2014 by davey buoy

[Handlebarz]

I was given this same info on Saturday so I did not got for the ride up to it. I just hit bps and got some more split rings and a chunk of fudge for my son.

[grimsbylander]

They posted the square footage long before they built. This can't come as a surprise.

[big guy]

Sail in Oshawa is my new fishing headquarters when I am going to travel and shop. LeBaron still a close second. Don't see the draw for Bass Pro, prices just aren't good enough.

[beertech]

stopped in sunday. will not be back bought nothing. It is gander mountain in buffalo. cluttered small selection high prices. spiderwire braid 125yards 21;99 sail 13.99/ koppers baitball 17.99. sail 1499 i believe just a few items i noticed

[big guy]

They posted the square footage long before they built. This can't come as a surprise.

Well it's hard to visualize how big 70,000 square feet is, it sounds huge, which I guess it is. However, I just looked up how large the Bass Pro is, 140,000, so twice as big. If Cabela's wants to compete, they are going to have to do better and bigger than that.

 

Incidently, the Sail stores are also 70,000 sq. ft. and the fishing department blows Cabela's out of the water. No comparison.

[woodenboater]

I wonder if the store set up is dictated by corporate ? Would make sense to let the market and area needs have an influence on floor layout and stock.

 

Also plan to go there this weekend on way up to cabin so hope I'm not in for a big letdown

Edited August 5, 2014 by woodenboater

[OhioFisherman]

Well it's hard to visualize how big 70,000 square feet is, it sounds huge, which I guess it is. However, I just looked up how large the Bass Pro is, 140,000, so twice as big. If Cabela's wants to compete, they are going to have to do better and bigger than that.

 

Incidently, the Sail stores are also 70,000 sq. ft. and the fishing department blows Cabela's out of the water. No comparison.

128,430 (2006)

Barrie, Population

2.503 million (2006)

Toronto, Population

If Barrie wants bigger stores they are going to have to compete?

Toronto, ON, Canada

1 h 9 min

In current traffic: 1 h 12 min

Barrie, ON, Canada

Is there a point of building a huge store in a small market?

[big guy]

It's not a small market. The location is right beside the 400 highway, which arguably has the highest volume of traffic heading to cottage country and more northern regions of the province for fishing and hunting than any other highway, every single weekend. The traffic even on Sunday was crazy going right by the store.

 

Yes Bass Pro is built more in the Toronto area than Cabela's, but on the very same highway.

[12footspringbok]

I went in on the weekend for the first time. Its basically what I expected. They had the smoker I wanted which was good.

 

I think people have to realize that Cabelas put a store up here to make money, not to satisfy your every outdoor desire. Of course they are going to pack the store with stuff that has a high profit and what they figure they can sell a lot of. I really was hoping for a better fishing section though...

[BillM]

So many people not impressed, just make sure you guys stick to your words and don't come back, it will make traffic easier for us folks that like to go there and waste time walking around

[jbailey]

I'd gladly go to sail or cabela's before BPS. Pushing their own brand which is GARBAGE. I've literally had litres crumble straight out of the package, among many, many other issues.

Edited August 5, 2014 by jbailey

[MrSimon]

Even a "small" poorly stocked Cabelas is WAY better to visit than just about every other store on the planet.

 

I walked around an entire shopping mall the other day and can honestly say there was nothing in the entire place that I found interesting .... well, I suppose the tool department in Sears was decent.

 

Do you guys find that you are spending less and less time in actual stores, and more and more time shopping on-line?

 

PS - after that new Cabelas get more established, they will likely have a clearance shelf in the fishing department with some killer lure deals.

[BucktownAngler]

also went on the weekend.

 

fishing section sucked. they didnt even have the basics, and the selection was very poor.

 

they had the quantum exo on sale for $169, i found one in left hand on the shelf and took it to cash out, and it came up to $290. They told me the left hand model was not on sale, only the right hand. then i ask why it would be on the sale shelf, they said someone put it there by mistake, it should be locked up.

 

long story short, they would not match the sale price and i walked out with nothing.

[blaque]

Sounds like the Gander Mountain in Buffalo...

 

Gander in Buffalo certainly has had its fair share of let downs for me over the years, i will say that they revamped the store and its in much better shape recently.....

 

Having said that, our Cabelas down here opens up thursday and is a 5 minute jaunt up the road for me........hopefully they keep a relevant inventory on the shelves,...... we shall see

[OhioFisherman]

It's not a small market. The location is right beside the 400 highway, which arguably has the highest volume of traffic heading to cottage country and more northern regions of the province for fishing and hunting than any other highway, every single weekend. The traffic even on Sunday was crazy going right by the store.

 

Yes Bass Pro is built more in the Toronto area than Cabela's, but on the very same highway.

Big, I am aware of the traffic and tourist travel on 400-69, I went that way for many years myself, I thought the amount of traffic was big 25 years ago!

 

In the overall scheme of things it is a small market, I can't recall ever stopping on the way to a lake or vacation destination to browse a tackle shop, to get the required license for the area? Yes! Which was done at more local to the area store.

 

I don't myself envision hordes of people on a vacation trip stopping along the way, taking time away from their vacations to shop? Those purchases are usually made in advance? as part of the planning for the trip? Or like myself with our past trips to BPS, Cabela's, and Jann's Netcraft in Toledo and Michigan as a winter or early spring tour to prepare and stock up for the season?

 

We have had 3 malls in this area close in the last 10 years or so, it's the 21st century, a lot of what their stores sold was available on line, was there a need for the expense of maintaining a huge store front? A lot of those stores seem to have felt that offering free shipping for purchases over 50-100 bucks on line was cheaper for them in the long run.

 

Like the WalMart in my area, once they eliminated most of the competition? They became a 24/7 superstore. The foot is in the door, business will dictate business decisions?