Shoppers hooked on Bass Pro Shops
The power of Bass Pro Shops’ brand of retail was evident at the company’s newest store opening this week as shoppers were undeterred by a massive traffic jam and a lack of parking, which forced some grand opening attendees to walk nearly a mile for a look inside.
For the shoppers who did make it to the store before the doors swung open at 6:30 p.m., onlookers were treated to a host of celebrity appearances on a stage erected in the front parking lot, including:
Mike Alstott, six-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl XXXVII Champion, and 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor Inductee.
Tony Stewart, driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2015 No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet SS.
Boo Weekley, three-time PGA tour champion, and member of the 2008 winning U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
George Poveromo, host of “George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing” television show.
Jeanette Lee, The Black Widow, America’s billiards star.
Peter Miller, “Bass 2 Billfish” with Peter Miller on NBC Sports; three-time World Sailfish Champion.
Captain Jimmy Nelson, host of “Extreme Fishing Adventures” television show.
Roland Martin, nine-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
Theresa Vail, SHE Outdoor pro staff member, and host of the upcoming Outdoor Channel “Limitless with Theresa Vail” television show; Miss Kansas 2013.
Steve Whitlock, nationally recognized game fish artist born in Tampa whose artwork can be found in several Bass Pro Shops stores in Florida.
Many shoppers came from Tampa Bay and Florida, but some from as far as Kentucky to visit the new store. Mark Jessner said he lives in Northern Kentucky and has a Field and Stream store nearby his home. "But I like Bass Pro the best. It has the best selection and it's just a destination. The others are not really worth driving to."
Bass Pro Shops employees said they were expecting a crowd of 3,000+, but many more than that seemed to be streaming in all night long.
Like all Bass Pro Shops, the Tampa Outdoor World in the suburb of Brandon features customized design and inventory that salutes the natural beauty of the region and rich traditions of fishing, boating, camping, hunting and hiking. The store is the company’s 10th in the Sunshine State and features 130,000 square feet of outdoor gear, apparel, footwear and nature-themed gifts.The store is decorated with the local landscape in mind as the murals transport the viewer through a series of panoramic vistas.
The lobby is designed to resemble an old Florida trophy room, and features native fish and wildlife mounts from Florida and species from other areas of North America. The King of Bucks display, a collection of world record white-tailed deer mounts, will include the James Stovall buck that was taken in Green Swamp not far from Tampa.
The 11,000-gallon freshwater aquarium is constructed to look like a sinkhole with water pouring into it and is surrounded by various wildlife mounts and exhibits including wild boar, black bear, and white-tailed deer. A mural near the aquarium portrays a scene of white-tailed deer jumping through the Hillsborough River.The aquarium is stocked with approximately 100 fish native to the area such as largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, black crappie, bowfin, longnose gar, Florida gar, bluegill, redear sunfish, warmouth, chain pickerel, and channel catfish.
Each department in the store features an outdoor theme created by murals and dioramas including:
A diorama in the clerestory (area near the high, overhead ceiling) main aisle shows an offshore fishing scene with dolphins and other pelagic fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
The clerestory murals and dioramas transition into nearshore fishing scenes with tarpon and kingfish; mangrove estuaries with snook, redfish, spotted seatrout and other inshore fish; and culminate in the pine forests with palmettos, oak trees, cabbage palms, Osceola turkeys, black bear, and a Florida panther.
“Uncle Buck’s Bait Shack” –a building that replicates an old Florida stilt shack—sits above the footwear department. Set on a cypress tree-filled lake, a vintage 1982 Bass Tracker fishing boat hangs suspended next to the building and appears to float on the lake.
The fishing department mural represents the Little Manatee River in its freshwater beginnings and its transition to saltwater where it ends in Tampa Bay.
The hunting counter will display white-tailed deer, coyotes, and a diorama of two wild hogs battling. The mural behind the counter is of the Green Swamp.
The mural in the marine department is of an old nautical map with two areas of Tampa Bay represented.
In terms of merchandise, the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store in Tampa offers customers an assortment of high-quality apparel and gear featuring top industry brands such as RedHead, Ascend, Oculus, Columbia, Browning, Offshore Angler, Penn, Under Armour, and hundreds more.Visitors will have the area’s largest array of freshwater and saltwater rods, reels and fishing accessories to choose from - all specially selected for the area. The White River Fly Shop will offer a vast selection of the latest in fly fishing gear.In the hunting department, customers will find an equally impressive array of hunting clothing and gear while the archery department offers a bow set-up shop.
In addition, the Tampa Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World features the Islamorada Fish Company restaurant. The 8,000–square-foot restaurant offers a wide variety of fresh seafood and steak entrees. A 2,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, located inside the restaurant, is home to colorful and exotic Pacific reef fish.
Finally, the store’s 9,800-square-foot boat showroom has a full range of boats from Tracker Marine, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats. From Mako saltwater boats, to Nitro high performance fishing boats, Sun Tracker and Regency pontoon boats, Tahoe pleasure boats, and Tracker fishing boats, canoeing and even kayaking, customers will find exactly what they need. Plus, four service bays will allow customers to get their boats rigged, serviced, and maintained right on the spot.
