In The News

New Cabelas as big as all outdoors

August 5, 2015  |  Cabela's
Cabela's

Cincinnati Enquirer

 

WEST CHESTER TWP. – Standing five stories high and covering 82,000 square feet on 18 acres, the new Cabela’s mega-store in West Chester Township is in a word, big. And it goes after the outdoors aficionado in a big way.

Cabela’s officials gave The Enquirer a tour Tuesday of its newest store, adjacent to Interstate 75 in Butler County and across Liberty Way from the $350 million Liberty Center mall.

Store officials say size and future growth of the expanding Cincinnati-Dayton corridor drew them to their new location, which is scheduled to open Aug. 19, on the West Chester-Liberty Township border.

It’s only the second store in Ohio and 72nd nationwide for the Nebraska-based Cabela’s.

The expanding retail, commercial and residential channel between Cincinnati and Dayton “is going to be one big city in 20 years and it’s a great area for us,” said James Daugherty, general manager of the West Chester store.

From $50,000 fishing boats to designer hunting boots, the massive outdoor and recreation store features an indoor mini-mountain, a 3,000-gallon fish tank, archery range and a vintage gun shop. Customers can tie exotic fishing flies with experts, buy a smaller tractor or all-terrain vehicle and chow down at a restaurant serving rare, wild-game dishes.

Shoppers and the curious will have their stares returned by more than 100 stuffed animals, most of them indigenous to Ohio.

There is purpose behind that interior decorating theme, says Daugherty, pointing out a large display of real Ohio cornstalks with stuffed, local deer breeds, coyotes and area pheasants emerging in action poses.

“We try to make each store a hometown store,” reflecting the wildlife in the region, he says.

Joe Hinson, president and CEO of the West Chester and Liberty Chamber Alliance, pointed out some home township pride with the coming opening of Cabela’s and another giant outfitter store - Bass Pro Shop - a few miles south on I-75, opening in 2016.

“As a destination location, West Chester continues to be the economic epicenter of the region as evidenced by our being the only (township) to have these two industry leaders in the same community,” said Hinson.

“West Chester’s ideal location, ease of access and increasing population outreach, supports the strategic decision to have two well-known North American outdoor recreation merchandisers located along the I-75 growth corridor,” he said.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/08/04/new-cabelas-big-outdoors/31120689/