Cabela’s signage gets hook at local Bass Pro Shops
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This article was published 14/12/2024 (302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Seven years later, Winnipeg is finally reflecting Bass Pro Shops’ purchase of Cabela’s.
The yellow signs greeting customers to Cabela’s at 580 Sterling Lyon Pkwy. have been swapped for the customary fish and red lettering of Bass Pro Shops, a Missouri-based company.
Inside, staff don shirts with Bass Pro Shops logos. Goods with Cabela’s branding are still stocked on shelves, and a smaller Cabela’s logo is emblazoned on the building’s exterior.
JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS On Monday, October 3, 2016 Cabela’s said it has agreed to be bought by Bass Pro Shops for $5.5 billion.
“It really doesn’t bother me much,” said Gary Schlichting, who was holiday shopping Friday afternoon.
Other shoppers the Free Press spoke to shared his sentiment. Rick Hogg, a long-time customer, expressed disappointment.
“It’s … not the same as what it used to be 10 years ago,” Hogg said, adding he believes Cabela’s quality has degraded since the sale.
It’s unclear how long Bass Pro Shops Outpost has replaced Cabela’s as the Winnipeg location’s main signage; Hogg ballparked a month. Bass Pro Shops didn’t respond to questions by print deadline.
The 52-year-old company purchased Cabela’s for roughly US$5 billion in 2017. At the time, Cabela’s encompassed 85 outlets, mostly in Western Canada and the United States. Bass Pro Shops, meanwhile, had 99 stores and Tracker Marine Centres largely found in the countries’ eastern sides.
Bass Pro Shops now counts almost 200 retail stores and marine centres across the continent. Outlets see 200 million visitors annually, the company touts on its website.
Bass Pro Shops has been rebranding Cabela’s locations. It has a “frequently asked questions” webpage with the prompt “will the company’s name change?” The answer isn’t direct; it says both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s will be celebrated and promoted “as we bring our two great companies together.”
Cabela’s first opened in Winnipeg in 2013. It was among the first developments in the Seasons retail cluster.
Waiting years to rebrand a location after a merger or purchase isn’t uncommon, said Sijie Sun, a University of Manitoba marketing professor. The change will boost Bass Pro Shops’ visibility and may increase brand loyalty among its current customers, he added.
The company risks upsetting customers loyal to Cabela’s, Sun noted.
gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com