Bass Pro Shops Announces New Features of Mega Outdoor Store in Tampa/Hillsborough County, Fla.
OutdoorHub 04.24.14
Bass Pro Shops, an outdoor retailer specializing in hunting, fishing, camping and other related outdoor gear, announced plans to include an Islamorada Fish Company restaurant at the store it plans to open in Hillsborough County. The new destination store, which is expected to open in 2015, will be located at a high-profile site on I-75 at Adamo Drive and will serve the greater Tampa market.
Other new features and store design updates include a 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, a Floridian-lodge-style entrance, a grand fireplace, and hand-painted murals in addition to many area artifacts, and museum-quality, wildlife mounts and dioramas.
Brandon/Tampa Store Will Feature Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant
The Brandon/Tampa Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World will feature a 7,000-square-foot Islamorada Fish Company restaurant, which will offer a variety of fresh seafood and steak entrees. The Islamorada Fish Company concept began in 1948 as a marina snack bar in the Florida Keys offering the freshest fish possible at a reasonable price. A full-service restaurant was added in 1994. Since then, Islamorada Fish Company restaurants have opened in several Bass Pro Shops stores.
Bass Pro Shops – Store, Museum, Art Gallery, Entertainment and More
Bass Pro Shops’ uniquely designed, award-winning stores are often considered to be part museum, art gallery, antique store and aquarium, and centers for conservation education and fun. They also offer the area’s largest selection of high-quality outdoor gear as well as a staff of dedicated professionals who promote the outdoor lifestyle and live it as well. In fact, Bass Pro Shops has been voted best in delivering service excellence two years in a row by J.D. Power and Associates.
The Brandon/Tampa Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store will use many area artifacts, antiques, period pictures, state record wildlife mounts, and memorabilia to become a living museum of Florida’s hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor traditions. It will be regionally designed using local materials and will feature a grand entry lodge and fireplace.
The unique architectural design for the Brandon/Tampa store was inspired by examples of early 20th century Floridian structures characterized by broad metal roofs, heavy timber frames, coral stone columns, white-washed surfaces and bold color accents. Large roof overhangs and Bahaman-style shutters will help strengthen the image while providing shade relief from the strong Florida sun.
Precisely detailed habitat displays set against expansive life-like paintings will depict favorite outdoor destinations such as the Green Swamp Wilderness and Ocala National Forest and serve to celebrate the abundance of wildlife in the region and the magic of central Florida’s outdoor sporting and recreation heritage.
Decorating With Nature in Mind
Hand-painted murals will wrap the store’s interior and depict familiar scenes of the region. One will get the sense of traveling through Florida’s landscape as the murals transport the viewer through a series of panoramic vistas—all beautifully replicated with the stroke of an artist’s brush. The murals are unique in the fact that what starts out many times as a simple painting will extend into an actual fish or wildlife mount or some other property creating a 3D effect.
Inside, a spacious two-story lobby reminiscent of an old Florida sporting lodge, will feature rare hunting and fishing artifacts, a large hand-painted mural depicting the ‘Tarpon Rodeo,’ and trophy mounts overlaid with an educational message particularly relevant to habitat conservation in the region. A grand fireplace in the lobby will be constructed of coral stone with pecky cypress trim and accents.
A 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium will be a focal point of the store and will showcase the diversity of life found in the area’s shallow coastal waters, marshes, estuaries and flats. It will be stocked with approximately 100 fish native to the area. Native fish species include tarpon, bass, crappie, catfish, jack crevalle, sheepshead, and permit.
Wildlife Exhibits Showcase Florida Species
Museum quality wildlife exhibits and dioramas will be seen throughout the store. At any moment visitors could expect to come upon a bed of resting white-tailed deer, a flock of Osceola turkeys, a Florida panther, alligators, or wild hogs in a marsh.
Area waterfowl—seagulls, pelicans, quail, and ducks—all will be scattered throughout the exhibits and imagery of the store.
Bass Pro Shops’ dedication to detail is evident wherever visitors look as artisans will work to create a visual style unique to that store, including handcrafted ornate metal fire screen doors, iron railings, sconces and more.
The Merchandise Matches Local Shoppers’ Needs
But the attention to detail doesn’t stop with store design and imagery elements. The same consideration is given to merchandise selection. 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.
In addition to being the world’s leading supplier of premium fishing tackle, Bass Pro Shops is also America’s leading supplier of hunting gear and the top retailer of Remington and Winchester guns and ammo as well as the top retailer of Bowtech and PSE archery equipment.
Bass Pro Shops also manufactures and sells the world’s leading brands of fishing boats–Tracker, Nitro, SunTracker, Tahoe, Grizzly and Mako factory direct to fishermen.
More than a hunting and fishing store, visitors will find items perfect for camping, hiking, outdoor cooking, bird watching or whatever their outdoor pleasures may be. A gift and nature center offers a variety of items such as:
• Artwork
• Lamps
• Bird feeders
• Furniture
• Home decorating items
• Gifts for the holidays
• Cooking accessories such as cookbooks, spices, grills, and jerky making items.
A wide selection of men’s and women’s footwear and apparel, featuring popular brands including Columbia, North Face, and RedHead, are also available.
Long History of Supporting Conservation in Florida and Beyond
Bass Pro Shops is proud to be the lead sponsor of the Florida TrophyCatch program and looks forward to continuing to partner with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida on youth education/outreach and fisheries enhancement efforts.
Bass Pro Shops’ founder Johnny Morris has made giving back to conservation a hallmark of the company since he first began selling fishing tackle in the back of his dad’s liquor store in 1971. Over the course of several decades, Johnny has dedicated himself to inspiring people, especially youth and families, to love, enjoy and conserve the great outdoors. He was recently recognized with the Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s BlueGreen Award for his conservation leadership. In addition, Morris received the prestigious Citizen Conservationist Award from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the other 49 state natural resource agencies that make up the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. On a national level Morris generously supports several conservation organizations, including being the all-time leading donor of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
“We already have a great working relationship with Bass Pro Shops from support for our youth conservation programs to our exciting new TrophyCatch program, which promotes catch and release of trophy bass in Florida” said Nick Wiley, executive director of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Bass Pro Shops has been an enthusiastic and innovative conservation partner with FWC, and now they are in Tampa it will only help make our working relationship in Florida that much stronger.”
A special Evening for Conservation to help benefit area conservation groups will take place the night before the official grand opening. This exciting, celebrity-packed event is free and open to the public. More details about this event, which provides fund raising opportunities on behalf of conservation, will be available closer to the store’s opening date next year. For more information regarding the Brandon/Tampa Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Center visit the website.
Famous for Customer Service
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.
To serve Brandon/Tampa area outdoor enthusiasts, the store will initially generate approximately 250 jobs, which will be offered to the many outdoor enthusiasts in the area. In addition, the store will offer free outdoor skills workshops for adults, kids and families that will help maximize outdoor fun by teaching new skills and improving existing ones.
Bass Pro Shops’ award-winning, outdoor stores are known for combining retail with entertainment, conservation and outdoor education while delivering unmatched value and service to customers.
Visit this link to see a video showcasing a Bass Pro Shops store: http://youtu.be/Nib4BEQl2-k.
Visit this link to see a video showcasing Bass Pro Shops Islamorada Fish Company restaurant: http://youtu.be/p5zUB5y6ZNQ.
