Bass Pro Shops to Open New Sportsman’s Center in Decatur, Ala.
OutdoorHub 04.08.14
Bass Pro Shops, an outdoor retailer specializing in hunting, fishing, camping and other related outdoor gear, is proud to announce plans for a new store in Decatur, Ala. The Bass Pro Shops retail attraction, which is approximately 100,000-square-feet in size, will be located on the south side of Highway 20 at Interstate 65/565. It will be the primary anchor for the Sweetwater mixed-use retail, entertainment, office and residential community located on 540 acres in Decatur being developed by Genesis. An opening date for the Bass Pro Shops store has not been determined.
This will be the company’s fourth store in Alabama as they currently operate stores in Prattville, Spanish Fort, and Leeds.
“We are honored to be the lead anchor for the new Sweetwater development project in Decatur — one of the largest and most exciting new retail developments in this area. Placing our store at this highly visible location near I-65 will allow us to bring Bass Pro Shops low prices and famous friendly, expert service to better serve the many sportsmen, women as well as the visitors to this area each year,” said Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops. “The store will be a tribute to the great sporting tradition and heritage of the region and a celebration of the sporting men and women of Alabama.”
Decatur, which is in the state’s third most popular county, is a major hub in the Tennessee Valley for visitors and travelers between Nashville and Mobile as well as Chattanooga and New Orleans. Known affectionately as “The River City,” Decatur sits on the banks of Wheeler Lake along the Tennessee River. Like many southern cities, Decatur’s early success was based on its location on the river where railroad routes and boat and trade traffic converged. Today, the area’s strong employment stems from technology, space and defense industries. Popular southern festivals such as Riverfest, the Spirit of America festival and the Racking Horse World Celebration, attract thousands of visitors annually making Decatur a tourist destination. The Bass Pro Shops Outpost in Decatur, located on I-65 — a major regional interstate serving three regions — will draw millions of visitors many of whom are from outside the region.
“The Consortium Firm and Genesis sought Bass Pro Shops because of their proven ability to create a destination experience and their integrity,” said Gary Glover of Genesis. “National retailers and restaurants follow Bass Pro Shops and that will mean good jobs and enhanced tax revenues for Decatur.”
Nationally, Bass Pro Shops will host more than 116 million people visiting their 85 stores and marine centers across America and Canada this year. The average customer stays 2 ½ hours and drives an average distance of 50+ miles. Bass Pro Shops was named by Advertising Age magazine as one of the Top 10 Hottest Brands in America along with name brands such as Old Spice, M&M’s, iPad and Droid. Also, Bass Pro Shops has been recognized numerous times for their conservation and outdoor education efforts, as well as being recognized by J.D. Powers & Associates for their customer service excellence.
“When you hear ‘premier destination retailer’ Bass Pro Shops is your first thought. To have these guys anchor a 500-plus-acre development in our city means more new stores, more jobs, more residents, a more attractive community–just a whole lot of good things happening,” said City of Decatur Mayor Don Kyle.
Bass Pro Shops unique, award-winning, mega-sized outdoor stores are known for combining retail with entertainment, conservation and outdoor education. More than just a fishing and hunting store, the Bass Pro Shops store will also offer equipment and clothing for hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, and other related outdoor gear. A gift and nature center features a wide variety of outdoor-related items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture. Expansive boat showrooms offer Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Tahoe, Grizzly and Mako boats built by Tracker Marine Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats.
Bass Pro Shops Dedication to Conservation
Bass Pro Shops lodge-like exteriors and outdoor-themed interiors make them popular with customers. The outdoors feel is brought indoors through massive log and rock work, large indoor aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species as well as an extensive collection of museum quality fish and wildlife mounts. Historic photos and exhibits will pay tribute to the region’s great outdoor heritage.
Since the beginning, Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris has been dedicated to inspiring people, especially youth and families, to love, enjoy and conserve the great outdoors. That commitment, demonstrated over the course of several decades, is a big reason why Bass Pro Shops is known as the outdoor industry’s corporate conservation leader. Bass Pro Shops’ has partnered with and supports the efforts of many organizations that work to conserve and manage the nation’s natural resources. The company’s key conservation initiatives include fish and wildlife habitat improvements, conservation and outdoor skills education, improving water quality and quality of our lakes and springs, and conservation advocacy.
See a video showcasing a Bass Pro Shops store below:
http://youtu.be/Nib4BEQl2-k.
