Bass Pro Shops Opens New Store with Evening for Conservation and Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
OutdoorHub 11.04.13
Local conservation groups to benefit from Bass Pro Shops Little Rock Outdoor World opening.
An all-star cast that reads like a ‘who’s who’ in the world of sports, entertainment and the great outdoors joins together to help Bass Pro Shops celebrate a spectacular Evening for Conservation, Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. at the new Little Rock Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. The event will kick off the store’s grand opening celebration that will continue through Sunday, Nov. 17.
Celebrities scheduled to appear and sign autographs Nov.13 include:
- Driver of the #14 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Tony Stewart
- Legendary bass angler Bill Dance
- 4-time Bassmaster Classic champion and 7-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Kevin VanDam
- 8-time B.A.S.S. winner and 13-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, Edwin Evers
- 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year and All Star Champion, Ott DeFoe
- RedHead Pro Hunting team member and World Turkey Calling Champion, Rob Keck
- RedHead Pro Hunting team member, John Paul Morris
- Top Shot season 4 winner, Chris Cheng
- 2013 Miss Arkansas USA, Hannah Billingsley
Legendary angler and television host Jimmy Houston, of “Jimmy Houston Outdoors” will serve as emcee for the event.
Musical entertainment for the evening will be provided by the bluegrass and country band Acousticatz. In addition, Central High School will be represented at the event with appearances from their cheerleaders and school mascot. Members of the Little Rock Air Force Base will do a color guard presentation.
Located at 1 Bass Pro Drive in Little Rock, the 104,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Little Rock store will officially open its doors for a preview celebration during the fundraising event and ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
For every dollar spent during the Evening for Conservation, 50 cents will be donated to the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Arkansas wildlife and natural resources for current and future Arkansans’ through stewardship, advocacy, education and in partnership with The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Local conservation groups and agencies on hand Wednesday evening will include the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quality Deer Management Association, Ducks Unlimited, Arkansas Game and Fish, and National Rifle Association. They will have booths and displays set up to create awareness about their ongoing efforts and local projects. In addition, the Ducks Unlimited booth will be selling Coca-Cola® products for $1 and the National Wild Turkey Federation booth will be offering hot dogs for $1.
Special displays throughout the event include:
- Bass Pro Shops #14 Sprint Cup Series car and the Bass Pro Shops #3 Camping World Truck Series truck Nov. 13-15
- The Coca-Cola Pit Crew Challenge Nov. 13 only
- Beretta show trailer Nov. 13, 5 p.m.- 9 p.m.; Nov. 14, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.; Nov. 15, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
- King of Bucks mobile exhibit Nov. 14-15
- Toyota interactive exhibit Nov. 16-17 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Bass Pro Shops, named as one of the “Top 10 Hottest Brands in America” by Advertising Age magazine, will continue to celebrate its 62nd store’s grand opening Thursday, Nov. 14 through Sunday, Nov. 17. The store will open at 8 a.m. Thursday and at 9 a.m. (normal opening hours) Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.
The celebration includes special exhibits, storewide savings on a huge assortment of products, and fantastic giveaways. Experts on fishing, hunting, boating and more will be available to talk with customers. In addition, factory representatives from the industry’s top manufacturers will be on hand to answer new product questions.
- Thursday, Nov. 14 – First 200 customers will receive a Bass Pro Shops gift card ranging in value from $5 to $100 in a logo tin.
- Friday, Nov. 15 – First 200 customers will receive a Bass Pro Shops commemorative, limited edition fishing lure.
- Saturday, Nov. 16 – First 200 customers will receive a commemorative Little Rock Bass Pro Shops’ bag
- Sunday, Nov. 17 – First 200 customers will receive a Bass Pro Shops’ commemorative limited edition fishing lure.
Visitors can also register to win a $50, $100 or a $200 gift card to be given away after the event.
The store offers the area’s largest selection of quality gear for fishing, hunting, camping, boating and marine. Bass Pro Shops also offers equipment for hiking, backpacking, outdoor cooking and more. Shoppers will find outdoor apparel for men, women and children along with a selection of outdoor, casual and athletic footwear. A gift and nature center includes a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture.
Known for providing a fun outdoor experience indoors, a typical Bass Pro Shops retail store features more than 3,500 antiques and artifacts, up to 400 trophy fish and wildlife mounts, and many murals depicting local scenes.
Free Bass Pro Shops outdoor skills workshops will be offered on a regular basis throughout the year and will include topics such as outdoor cooking, nature photography, fly fishing, camping, archery and more. Bass Pro Shops is widely recognized for their efforts in conservation and outdoor education.
Bass Pro Shops will host more than 116 million people visiting their 80 stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada this year. The average customer stays two and a half hours and drives an average distance of 50 plus miles. The company also has been named by J.D. Powers & Associates as one of the top eight retailers in America for customer service excellence.
For more information about the Little Rock Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Center, visit http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPageC?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=94&storeID=79&tab=3
