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BPS Direct, LLC
Bass Pro Shops
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail
Founded1972; 52 years ago (1972)
FounderJohnny Morris
Headquarters
Springfield, Missouri
Number of locations
177 (including 82 Cabela's)
Key people
Johnny Morris Founder and CEO
ProductsHunting, fishing, and outdoor merchandise
RevenueIncreaseUS$6.5 billion (2019)[1]
Number of employees
40,000
SubsidiariesCabela's
White River Marine Group (through Cabela's)
Websitewww.basspro.com

BPS Direct, LLC, doing business as Bass Pro Shops, is an American privately-held sporting goods retailer that offers hunting, fishing, camping, and other related outdoor recreation equipment, marine manufacturing and sales, and outdoor resorts. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops has a workforce of about 40,000.[2] Bass Pro also owns Cabela's, another retailer that specializes in similar categories.[3]

History

Bass Pro Shops at Vaughan Mills in Vaughan, Ontario

Bass Pro Shops started in 1972 when Johnny Morris started selling fishing tackle out of his dad's Brown Derby Liquor Store in Springfield, Missouri.[4] His father, John A. Morris, was a World War II veteran and often took the family hunting and fishing, which Johnny Morris cited as what taught him to love the outdoors.[5] People who bought tackle from Morris in Springfield continued to request specialized gear from him even after they left the area.[6] To meet their demand, Morris created the first Bass Pro Shops catalog was created in 1974.[6][7] In 1978, Morris introduced Tracker Boats, the first boat, motor, and trailer package designed for anglers.[8] Eventually, those boats would be sold through Tracker Marine Group, owned by Bass Pro Shops.[5][6]

In 1981, Morris opened the first Bass Pro Shops outdoor store in Springfield.[6] In 1987, Morris bought an empty plot of land on Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks, where he opened Big Cedar Lodge the following year.

In 1995, the second Bass Pro Shops location opened in Duluth, Georgia.[9] In 2015, Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid opened in Memphis, Tennessee.[10]

In 2017, Morris opened the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield's Bass Pro Shops, which is considered the largest wildlife attraction in the world.[11][12] In the same year, Bass Pro Shops struck a deal to acquire Cabela's for about $4.5 billion.[13] In 2021, the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championships awarded a $1 million first-place prize to the winning team, Tucker Smith and Logan Parks, two students from Auburn University.[14][15]

In 2022, Bass Pro Shops announced a new Bass Pro fishing resort would be built in Marathon, Florida, on Valhalla Island.[16]

Acquisitions

In 2016, the company acquired Cabela’s Inc. for $4.5 billion.[13]

The deal was financed via preferred equity financing from Goldman Sachs and Pamplona. Goldman Sachs contributed $1.8 billion towards financing and Pamplona contributed $600 million.[3]

In 2019, Bass Pro Shops sold eleven of Cabela's stores to Sansome Pacific for $324.3 million in a sale-leaseback program.[17][18][19] The acquisition of Cabela's resulted in 2,000 jobs lost in Sidney, Nebraska, Cabela's headquarters at the time of the acquisition.[20][21] Since the acquisition, three stores have closed and eight new stores have opened.[22] As part of Cabela's acquisition, Bass Pro Shops sold Cabela's World's Foremost Bank brand to Synovus and Capital One, a transfer of over $1 billion in assets.[23][24]

In 2020, Great Outdoors Group, the parent company of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, attempted to acquire Sportsman's Warehouse.[25] However, the deal was canceled in 2021 after the Federal Trade Commission indicated they were not going to provide clearance.[26]

In 2023, Bass Pro Shops and Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corporation announced plans to acquire the Branson Cedars Resort.[27]

Operating divisions

Retail stores

Bass Pro Shops at the Memphis Pyramid

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's operates retail locations in the United States, as well as in Canada.[28] The most common stores are Outdoor World stores.[28] Their largest store is the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee.[29] As of January 2023, the company operates 177 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's stores combined.

Bass Pro locations are divided into five types of stores, each with a different theme and simulated environment:

  • Outdoor World: Themed around a cypress forest. Features wood and rock architecture, faux rivers, animal displays, trees, foliage, and murals of outdoor scenes.
  • Outpost: Themed around a wooden outpost similar to a cabin or cottage. Intended to feature less theming in the aisles than Outdoor World.[30]
  • Sportsman's Center: Themed around similar woodland motifs as Outdoor World. Intended to feature less prominent theming in general compared to Outdoor World and Outpost.
  • Stick Marsh Outpost: Themed around a slightly-deteriorated outpost in the Everglades, featuring trees, animal statues, photo collections, and an old pickup truck on the ceiling. It is unique to the Palm Springs, Florida location.[31]
  • White River Outpost: Themed around the forests along the White River in the Ozarks, featuring wooden walls, trees, and photo collections. It is unique to the Branson, Missouri location.[32]

Boat brands

The Tracker Boat Center at the Bass Pro Shops location in Rocklin, California

Bass Pro Shops owns White River Marine Group which manufactures and distributes boats under the brand names Ranger, Nitro, Triton, Tahoe, Tracker, Sun Tracker, Regency, Mako, and Ascend.

On May 20, 2021, the White River Marine Group purchased Hatteras Yachts, a company that specializes in yachts and speedboats.[33][34]

Hospitality

Resorts

Restaurants

  • Uncle Buck’s FishBowl & Grill.[9]
  • White River Fish House.[38]
  • Hemingway’s Blue Water Cafe.[39]
  • Finley Farms: which includes The Workshop (crafting and coffee shop); The Farm (an urban farm with fruits, vegetables, and flowers); The Garrison (fine dining); and The Ozark Mill (restaurant and event space).[40][41]

Sponsorships

Conservation

Bass Pro Shops works with a number of organizations to sponsor conservation. These include:

Affiliation with NASCAR

Dale Earnhardt's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Monte Carlo on display at the Richard Childress Racing Museum

Bass Pro Shops has been a longtime partner of Richard Childress Racing. During the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, they are the primary sponsor for the No. 19 car driven by Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon's No. 3 car, as well as hosting the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. In previous seasons, they have also sponsored Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart, Jaime McMurray, Ryan Newman, Ty Dillon, and Daniel Hemric. In the Xfinity Series, Bass Pro Shops was the main sponsor for the No. 9 car driven by Noah Gragson. As of 2023, partially due to Noah Gragson's move to the cup series, Bass Pro Shops now sponsors the No. 8 car driven by Josh Berry.

NRA National Sporting Arms Museum

The National Rifle Association National Sporting Arms Museum opened in Springfield's Bass Pro Shop on August 2, 2013. It features sporting artifacts, including some historical firearms from the NRA Museum Collection. The museum also hosts firearms and artwork from the Remington Arms Company factory collection, including engraved Colt revolvers of the American frontier and firearms of U.S. Presidents.[52]

Military and Veterans Organizations

Bass Pro Shops regularly supports military and veterans organizations and events such as the United Service Organizations (USO), AMVETS, Helping a Hero, Folds of Honor, the Shadow Warrior Project’s golf tournaments, and the 2021 Missouri Veterans Fishin’ Contest.[53][54] Every month the company hosts Military Discount Days, giving active duty and retired military a discount off regularly priced items.[53]

In 2021, Bass Pro Shops and Helping a Hero held the Helping a Hero telethon to raise money for Helping a Hero and to raise awareness for the 100 Homes Challenge issued by Johnny Morris.[55] Under the challenge, Bass Pro Shops paid for 25% of the next 100 homes built by Helping a Hero.[56] The company also paid 100% of the cost of 10 homes.[57]

In 2011, Bass Pro Shops was sued by The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for failure to hire Hispanic and black applicants.[58][59][60] In court filings, Bass Pro Shops denied all of the allegations and in 2014, Bass Pro Shops appealed the lower court's ruling,[61][62][63] but was rejected by the court.[64] In 2016 Bass Pro Shops tried again and The EEOC asked the Fifth Circuit Court to reject Bass Pro Shops' appeal because Bass Pro Shops engaged in the practice of "reckless indifference" when it came to hiring minorities.[65] In 2017, Bass Pro Shops settled its discrimination lawsuit with the EEOC for $10.5 million.[66][67][68][69] The court noted that any payments Bass Pro Shops made as part of the settlement "should not be construed as an admission of liability."[61] The case was settled by a consent decree, and the court issued no findings on the veracity of the claims of the EEOC.[61] As part of the settlement, Bass Pro Shops agreed to strengthen its diversity hiring and recruiting practices by posting job openings at schools with a significant minority population, participating in job fairs held in communities with large minority populations, posting job openings in publications that have been historically popular with Black and Hispanic audiences, and develop a diversity and inclusion section of its website that lists job opportunities and discusses inclusion efforts.[70][71]

In 2022, Bass Pro Shops was sued over a lifetime warranty for RedHead socks sold at their stores. The warranty stated customers could return worn-out pairs of the socks for a free replacement. However, in 2021 (by which point the RedHead socks had ended production), Bass Pro Shops changed their return policy to instead offer different socks with a limited 60-day warranty, only to again advertise the RedHead socks with the lifetime warranty despite reportedly not fulfilling it, which the plaintiffs alleged was consumer fraud and deception.[72][73][74]

References

  1. ^ "#45 Bass Pro Shops". Forbes. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Great American Outdoors Group". Forbes. October 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Debter, Lauren. "Outdoor Retailer Bass Pro Shops Is Buying Cabela's For $5.5 Billion". Forbes.
  4. ^ Moise, Imani (October 3, 2016). "Meet the Billionaire Behind the New Bass Pro/Cabela's Empire". Wall Street Journal.
  5. ^ a b Masterson, Mike (April 3, 2016). "Johnny Morris: Angler visionary". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
  6. ^ a b c d Waszczuk, Savannah (November 1, 2014). "The Johnny Morris Story". 417 Magazine.
  7. ^ "History of Bass Pro Shop". The Southern Illinoisan. February 21, 2003. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  8. ^ Johnson, Wes (March 24, 2016). "Bass Pro Founder Johnny Morris receives Excellence in Business Award". Springfield News-Leader.
  9. ^ a b c "Bass Pro Shops: Where money grows on trees". Quartz. August 24, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  10. ^ Phillips, Jerica (April 28, 2015). "INSIDE BASS PRO: Top attractions inside the Pyramid". actionnews5.com. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  11. ^ Sammuli, Allex (September 19, 2017). ""World's largest wildlife attraction" opens in Springfield, Missouri". St. Louis Magazine.
  12. ^ Dean, Dana (September 21, 2017). "Largest fish and wildlife attraction in the world opens in Springfield, Missouri". KSDK.
  13. ^ a b Germano, Sara; Helliker, Kevin (October 4, 2016). "Bass Pro Shops to Acquire Cabela's". Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ Pierce, Phil (November 27, 2021). "Auburn students win $1 million Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championships". Alabama News Center. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  15. ^ Collins, Dac (November 23, 2021). "Two College Kids Win Inaugural U.S. Open Amateur Bass Tournament, Walk Away with $1 Million". Outdoor Life. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  16. ^ "DeSantis announces Bass Pro fishing resort coming to Valhalla Island". WFLA. October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Bass Pro Shops sells 11 Cabela's stores for $324.3 million". Outdoornews. June 7, 2019.
  18. ^ Wunderlich, Glen. "Bass Pro Shops Sells 11 Cabela's Stores for $324.3 Million - ThinkingAfield.org".
  19. ^ "Bass Pro Shops Sells 11 Cabela's Locations for $324M". www.cpexecutive.com. May 31, 2019.
  20. ^ Couger, Charles & Pfeiffer, Alex (December 3, 2019). "The death of Sidney, Nebraska: How a hedge fund destroyed 'a good American town'". Fox News. Retrieved June 27, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Yowell, Paige (January 16, 2018). "Sidney faces challenge to replace 2,000 jobs, fill vacant homes after Bass Pro takeover of Cabela's". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  22. ^ Urie, Daniel (December 30, 2020). "Parent company of Bass Pro and Cabela's plans to acquire Sportsman's Warehouse". The Patriot-News.
  23. ^ Arif, Rabia. "Synovus, Capital One to buy banking operations of Cabela's". S&P Global. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  24. ^ Detrick, Hallie. "Bass Pro Just Completed a $4 Billion Deal to Buy Cabela's". Fortune. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  25. ^ "Bass Pro Explores Going Small With Sportsman's Warehouse Buy | SGB Media Online". sgbonline.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  26. ^ "Sportsman's Warehouse ends merger with Great Outdoors over FTC clearance concerns". Reuters. December 3, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  27. ^ Carlson, Chris (May 5, 2023). "Bluegreen, Bass Pro Shops purchase Branson Cedars Resort". Branson Tri-Lakes News. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  28. ^ a b Field, Carla (April 17, 2014). "Bass Pro Shops announces new Upstate store". WYFF. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  29. ^ Sills, Joe (August 26, 2020). "The Unbelievable True Story Of How The Memphis Pyramid Became A Bass Pro Shops". Forbes.
  30. ^ "Bass Pro Shop joins in the regeneration of Ohio's Eastwood Mall". Chain Store Age. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  31. ^ "Bass Pro Shops Stick Marsh Outpost to open in Palm Bay, Florida". SGB Media. November 22, 2013.
  32. ^ "Bass Pro Shops - White River Outpost | Explore Branson". Explore Branson. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  33. ^ "Johnny Morris Buys Hatteras Yachts | BoatTEST". boattest.com. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  34. ^ "Major boat builder acquires iconic Hatteras brand, set to expand in NC". North State Journal. May 26, 2021.
  35. ^ Gilbertson, Dawn (November 30, 2022). "The Hotel Inside the Bass Pro Shops Inside the Pyramid". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  36. ^ Bryan, Madison (October 29, 2020). "Bass Pro, Big Cedar to rebrand Hollister hotel as Angler's Lodge". Branson Tri-Lakes News. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  37. ^ "Bass Pro Shops CEO Building Largest Resort Property In The Florida Keys". Southern Living. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  38. ^ Bertrand, Amy (April 4, 2011). "Bass Pro Shops restaurant on Branson Landing offers great views, fish". STLtoday.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  39. ^ "Hemingway's Blue Water Cafe". www.springfieldmo.org. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  40. ^ Cullinan, Mike (March 23, 2020). "The Farm is on deck at Finley Farms". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  41. ^ "Ozark Mill and The Garrison offer food, drinks and a taste of history at Finley Farms in Ozark, Mo". Restaurant Hospitality. August 23, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  42. ^ wnadmin (August 1, 2017). "Bass Pro Shops Hosts Elk Country Conservation Month -". Wrangler Network. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  43. ^ "Conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris honored with inaugural conservation award". Bassmaster. March 9, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  44. ^ "Pheasants Forever Upper Snake River Chapter receives $4,500 grant from Cabela's". East Idaho News. February 9, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  45. ^ "Bass Pro Shops helps National Fish and Wildlife Foundation raise funds". Bassmaster. April 2, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  46. ^ Bennett, Macaela. "Bass Pro opening benefits 'more fish'". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  47. ^ Staff, Speedway Digest. "Ducks Unlimited to race under the lights this weekend at Bristol". speedwaydigest.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  48. ^ "October is Ducks Unlimited Month at Bass Pro Shops". Shelby County Today. October 9, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  49. ^ Middleton, Angel (June 8, 2023). "National Deer Association Awarded $200,000 Grant from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund to Improve Public Hunting Land". Americana Outdoors. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  50. ^ HLNews (April 26, 2021). "Johnny Morris Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund Awards $300K Grant to The National Wild Turkey Federation". HuntingLife.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  51. ^ a b "Bass Pro Shops names Whit Fosburgh and Jeff Crane conservation partners of the year - Bill Dance Outdoors". www.billdanceoutdoors.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  52. ^ "NRA opens Midwest museum showing nearly 1,000 firearms". Reuters. Archived from the original on August 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  53. ^ a b "Active military, veterans honored by Bass Pro Shops". Bassmaster. November 24, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  54. ^ phil0036 (November 10, 2022). "Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops receive U.S. Army's Highest Civilian Honor, The National Service Award". thevoiceofmobiz. Retrieved October 31, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  55. ^ Pryce, Chevall (January 22, 2022). "With roots in Cy-Fair, Helping a Hero raises funds for 100 homes". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  56. ^ "Helping A Hero suprises veteran with a new home". khou.com. March 7, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  57. ^ Holman, Gregory J. "'Huge relief' — Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris donates $2 million toward houses for wounded veterans". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  58. ^ "Bass Pro Shops accused of discrimination, racial slurs". Reuters. September 22, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  59. ^ Zimmerman, Ann (September 22, 2011). "U.S. Charges Bass Pro Shops With Racial Bias". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
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  61. ^ a b c "U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs. Bass Pro Outdoor World, LLC and Tracker Marine Retail, LLC" (PDF). United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. July 25, 2017.
  62. ^ "Bass Pro Pushes For Quick Appeal In EEOC Race Bias Suit - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  63. ^ Gounley, Thomas. "Four years after US alleged discriminatory hiring at Bass Pro, case plods on, closely watched". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  64. ^ Langford, Cameron (July 31, 2014). "Bass Pro Shops Hiring Bias Case to Continue". Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  65. ^ "EEOC v. Bass Pro Outdoor World, LLC, No. 15-20078 (5th Cir. 2016)". Justia Law. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  66. ^ Sixel, L. M. (July 24, 2017). "Bass Pro, EEOC reach $10.5 million settlement". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  67. ^ "Bass Pro Shops settles $10.5M race discrimination case". HR Dive. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  68. ^ "Bass Pro Settles with EEOC for $10.5 Million on Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Claims | E & B". Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  69. ^ Mccue, Dan (July 26, 2017). "Bass Pro Shops to Pay $10.5 Million to Settle EEOC Lawsuit". Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  70. ^ SHRM-SCP, Lisa Nagele-Piazza, J. D. (August 10, 2017). "Bass Pro to Pay $10.5 Million to Settle Hiring Discrimination Claims". SHRM. Retrieved June 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  71. ^ "Bass Pro to Pay $10.5 Million To Settle EEOC Hiring Discrimination And Retaliation Suit | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission". www.eeoc.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  72. ^ Greene, Jenna (July 25, 2022). "Bass Pro class action over socks (yes, socks): A 'lifetime' of lessons". Reuters. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  73. ^ "Lawsuit Says Bass Pro Shops Issued 'Hollow Promise' for In-Store Sock Brand with 'Lifetime Guarantee' That No Longer Exists". Law & Crime. July 18, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  74. ^ "Bass Pro Lifetime Wool Sock Warranty Suit Survives Dismissal Bid". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
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