Cabelas is coming to Erie!!

Saw that earlier, still walking around with a huge erection.

Not a good thing for FishUSA and the local bait shops.  That said, Cabela's stores are pretty nice.  I like the aquariums.

freshwaterdrumR

Can't seem to remember the last time I went to cabelas and wasnt disappointed in the prices/selection. Hopefully this doesnt hurt the local businesses too much....

+1
 

Right on 79
Picking up people from the south and east and west

Local shop/stores better hope it falls through

I live near the Cabela Hamburg Pa store.Since they opened practically every small fish/hunt shop in my area has closed.There may be other reasons for those closures but the "evil" C did n't help their cause.The "evil" C tag was tagged on the Cabela store by the Hamburg locals.
That said,I don't think they will hurt Poor Richards and others because they are located right in the heart of the action.Even though the Hamburg Cabela is a destination type store I will still buy my Steelhead stuff from the locals.
I just read the press release and it appears to be a much smaller store that Hamburg so won't be a destination store,and I doubt they will be selling eggs and other bait,but they won't be that far from the action.I'll still support the local guys.

not to mention the catalogs are free!!

I think it is great news for Erie! I'm a 74 yeard old fisher/hunter/trapper that doesn't buy that much merchandise anymore but I do belong to the Cabelas Club and use their credit card. I get a kickback toward free merchandise everytime I use it - no matter where I use it. I have only visited a Cabelas store one time and that was in Maine. I bought a pair of lightweight hunting boots . They were Cabelas brand and sure beat the h--l out of a pair of 8 pound bearclaws that I had been wearing and which "made mountains out of mole hills". When my wife and I visit Erie we shop at the Mall and I generally poke my head into Gander Mountain. I have bought some fishing items there but have never been thrilled by their selection or their personnel. I agree the shops near the streams will get my steelhead business but for major items I will  probably look to Cabellas. Looking for bargins ?  Check the Bargain Cave. Again, I think Erie should be happy for another drawing card.

Ha, anyone remember Media Play? Great store, great selection of cd's, games, movies and other stuff. Then along came Best Buy and Circuit City and put Media Play out of business. Circuit City then closed and just about anywhere online has way better pricing the Best Buy. Now Best Buy, as a company, is in trouble.
So is Gander Mt. next to go? We'll see.****s is already phasing out fishing and hunting to make way for Field and Stream stores.
I wouldn't worry about the local shops. Poor Richards is so specialized and they have a great location far from the mall. And even though we have many customers that come from NY, PA and OH to our showroom, we still do most of our business online. Plus, we beat Cabela's and Bass Pro pricing 99% of the time.
-Jay

****s = Sportsmans Warehouse...
 

Hoo Cares duuDs.
 
****s sporting goods cares about selling fishing/hunting gear about as much as I care about Cabelas going to Erie.  That is, not at all.  They make their money elsewhere.

Gander Mountain >>>> Cabelas

i dont think dik's sporting goods will even be slightly affected by cabelas. dik's cares about all sports, fishing and hunting only account for a small percentage of their sales. Gander should be the one worried. Same products bascially, bigger name.

I heard it was only going to be 42k sq ft.  Anyone have evidence to that?  By my rough estimates it wouldn't be much bigger than the current Gander square footage.
 
So instead of making 3 stops to find out no stores have what I want, I now will make 4 stops.
 
Not impressed by the news.

The Wheeling store is 110,00 sq ft. This store half the size. I was told Gander is 27,000.

I have a few things from Cabelas. I bought some waist high neo waders in Hamburg quite a few years ago and I still have them. But as I remember a lot of their stuff is their own brand. I bought a pair of knee high rubber boots that were LaCrosse knock offs branded by Cabelas and they did not even last me a year.  The local shops have a better mix of brands to choose from IMO.  Plus I am dealing with person that I know if I have a problem. So.. I will still probably get my next breathables at FishErie just like I got two pairs of Chotas there--mine and my sons.