Pitiful

[jeepyj]

Today the wife and I decided to take a ride south to the famed Cabelas which is about 125 miles from where I live in the "big city". I had high hopes however they were quickly dashed by the whole experience. Traffic, Rudeness the un-knowledgable staff or at least they were more interested it talking with co-workers than waiting on customers just fortifies the fact that I'll pay a few bucks extra at my LGS to get what I desire or feel that I can't live without.
Jeepyj

[perotter]

I don't buy much from them anymore and I live 40 miles from one. Some primers once in a while if I go there to look at what they have for used rifles. I can buy used rifles cheaper from different sources.

[jeepyj]

I was curious about a couple of used .22rifles they were &588.00 and up maybe they were something special but sure didn't look like it to me. I was able to obtain a couple gifts for the guys I work with but that was abut it. They had exactly three pounds of powder in Thier entire reloading cabinet. Not much chance to stock up that's for sure.
Jeepyj

[uscra112]

They built one in Dundee MI (Exit 17 off US 23) when I still lived up there. Went in a half-dozen times, but rarely ever bought anything. Last purchase was a brick of Wolf Match for $55.00 a few months before the crisis. Went in looking for powder, but of course they didn't have what I needed. The Wolf was out on an island display, so I grabbed it to make the trip to the store seem less futile.

Now and then I still drive by on my way to Ann Arbor for visits, but the urge to stop has disappeared. One thing that just amazes me is the prices for gas and food at that exit. Gas is often 30 cents more than at Exit 5, and a nickel more than right in Ann Arbor, (which ain't a cheap location). The whole shebang is aimed at the city dwellers who don't know any better, I guess. They seem to like to see a circus where they shop.

And like L.L.Bean their main cash flow is clothing. There's huge markups on clothing. The other stuff is just to get you in there in hopes you'll buy cloth and footwear.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I would not jugde a store by one experience on the buisiest days of the year.
Did you visit the Bargain Cave ? That is my first stopping place. That large room is where most my purchases take place. Next is used firearms. My 2nd to last trip to a Cabelas netted me a 1904 made Winchester 1894 38-55 for $575 out the door. It was marked $750 but I have learned in life all merchandise is negotionable.
But sadly much "hired help" in all store chain types have grown up with the instilled thinking from too many teachers in the public schools "you owe me". Not all the employees are that way. I look for those workers who are beyond the "facebook" years and talk to them.
So hey if I had to drive that far I might not go back either... This computer will connect me with most any place on earth in a few seconds.
Mike in Peru (no Cabelas within 4000 miles of here)

[Ajax]

Nearest Cabela's is a hour East of me. I don't go there often due to their prices. I can get what i want locally without the drive so the price is about the same but i don't loose 3 hours of a day. If I feel there prices are out of line i order off the net.

Andy

[km101]

Due to the magic of modern merchandising I now have a Cabela's, Bass Pro and Gander Mtn. within a half hour drive of me. Not to mention several Walmarts, Academy Sports, Dicks' and several other retailers who sell guns and ammo, but are not primarily outdoor retailers.

I have noticed that the knowledge level about guns and outdoor products is only slightly higher at the big box outdoor stores than it is at the Walmarts! They are all hiring from the same labor pool and salary level, so they are all competing for the same people. Most don't train their new employees past the minimum level that will enable them to do their jobs because they may be gone tomorrow! The turnover at all these retailers is in the 200% plus range so they cant afford much training! And the person showing you a gun at the gun counter today may have been working in the shoe department yesterday! If you find an employee that knows his products and seems motivated, you have made a lucky find! And it IS just luck, as they may not be there the next time you go in.

If you are looking for information and/or expertise you will do much better at your LGS in my experience. They are usually owner managed and have a much better level of experience and knowledge.

Unfortunately, all the Big Box stores have run almost all of the local gun shops out of business in this area, so you are left dealing with the big boys!

[BD]

I'm also from central Maine, and while Cabela's is not my idea of the perfect store, it sure beats the pants off of the Bass Pro Shops I had to deal with in Savannah and upstate NY. I mostly buy stuff like rain gear, long johns and packs from them when it's on sale.
BD

[brtelec]

I have a Cabela's about 35 minutes from me and a Bass Pro Shops about 10 minutes away. Their prices are not very good in my opinion. When they have a sale then they are down around the prices online from other sources, so occasionally I will buy something if their sale price is competitive. I use them mostly as a place to look at something I may be interested in before I order it at a LGS or online.

[oldtrucks]

Whenever we went over the summit into Reno we used to stop in at the Cabelas there. Scheels opened up a store in Sparks about 4 miles east of Reno and since discovering that we rarely stop in at the Cabelas.

Seems like the employees at Scheels are much happier and willing to talk to customers.

[oldred]

The local Gander Mtn here lucked out and found a really knowledgeable fella to work the sporting good counter, this guy never seems to be at a loss for answers and he truly knows his stuff when it comes to firearms and loading. That however does not save the place from their grossly inflated prices and the fact they are quickly becoming little more than a Super Wal-Mart. A Cabellas is under construction about 60 miles from here and I'm really anxious for it to open (early summer 2014 I think) since I have never been to one and I suppose it will be another place to visit on occasion even if I don't buy much, at least it has the "Air" about it and I can get away from reality for a while.

I live on a farm out in the boonies "back on the ridge" here in Tn and I suppose I should be thankful for what's country living to most folks and I should be happy with it but you guys in Alaska are just killing me it's that simple! I was in Anchorage for a few weeks as a young fella back in '68 and have managed to get back a couple of times since to travel between Anchorage and Fairbanks but there's simply no way I can get my wife to leave where we are so my dreams of retiring there will never happen as I am rapidly getting too old now (Yep, I have been in Fairbanks in the winter).

My apologies for getting off topic a bit but it's the kind of thing places like Cabellas make me think of.

[Del-Ray]

I used to shop at the Dundee MI location. I still pop in on occasion. When they first opened they had a reloading section that made my eyes bleed. Anytime a box of bullets got dented, or ripped they put that sucker at a discount. They had several isles of reloading gear. Now.... They did a remodel to get more room for CLOTHES. I like going there for the bargain cave.

Plus, the wife and family make a day of it. We hit the river, shop in the woman stores... And then on the way home we buy a pound of jerky each from the jerky shop....

[bikerbeans]

I went to the Dundee's Cabelas a couple of months back to look at clothes in the Bargain Cave. Apparently Cabela's and I don't have the same definition of "bargain".:mad:

BB

[Rick Hodges]

I used to make the trip to Dundee to see some of the products that I saw in the catalog. I like to heft and feel and try on stuff before I buy. I was almost always disappointed. They never had what I was looking for. I usually go about once a year and take the grandkids if I can. The taxidermy displays are terrific and the kids love it.

[Mal Paso]

One guy in the Glendale AZ gun department had actually shot both the 50 BMG rifles they had on display and could discuss them intelligently. On a whole though, it's hit and miss.

They had a used 6" 629 for $1200 because it had a trigger job. That might have been asking price or maybe the lord himself did the trigger job.

I wear nothing but Cabelas shirts. After they didn't sell at $60 and got marked down to $15.

I wish I could take Cabelas more seriously but I just go when I feel like looking at the displays and don't expect too much more.

[TheGrimReaper]

I've been to one once and I was not impressed at all.

[freebullet]

Cabelas used to be a reasonable outfitter. At 28$ a pound fer 2400 & bargain cave items that are marked higher than new shelf items I see no reason to stop there anymore. Used to find deals on used guns, they've been overpriced all summer. $29.99 fer a magazine that midway sells fer 19.99 doesn't sound appealing. They are alienating their core customers for a few extra $$ from panic buyers, sad.