Better Nature

SPRINGFIELD, MO.-BASED Bass Pro Shops started when its Founder and CEO, Johnny Morris, began selling fishing tackle out of his father’s liquor store in 1972. The retailer’s first full store opened nearly a decade later; two more locations followed in the 1980s and 1990s before growing nationwide in the early 2000s. Since then, the brand has become a destination for outdoorsmen and nature enthusiasts searching for gear, apparel and supplies.

Recently, it opened its new Cincinnati location, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, in West Chester, Ohio – the store was relocated from the border of Cincinnati suburbs Fairfield and Forest Park, Ohio. The 125,000-square-foot store also houses some outdoor gear from Cabela’s, the sporting goods and outdoor retailer acquired by Bass Pro Shops in 2017.

The store’s 12,000-gallon aquarium was inspired by Old Man’s Cave located in Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park. It holds more than 70 native fish.

The new store isn’t just updated fixtures and displays, it is an homage to Ohio’s natural flora and fauna. “The entire store was carefully crafted with the local region in mind,” says Mike Adlesh, General Manager of the West Chester store. “Many of the artifacts and taxidermy on display throughout the store were acquired by donation, collection purchases and even some nice flea market finds, giving customers a taste of the local outdoor experience throughout their visit.”

above: As shoppers enter the space, they are immersed in motifs of Ohio wildlife, which extend to the chandeliers that present images of native plants and animals.

Intended to take visitors into the Ohio wild, the walls are mounted with canoes and painted with murals of local landscapes and Ohio’s bicentennial barns, and taxidermied deer are posed above the doors. The chandeliers hanging above the entry are ornately designed to display images of birds and deer in tall grass. Bass Pro Shops’ staple fish tank is also here – a prop airplane is situated above the tank with the phrase “Gone Fishin’ ” appearing to soar nearby.

Vignettes throughout provide visual immersion and help shoppers navigate the expansive space. Each section of merchandise is distinguished with a mini-scene or display: Hunting gear is highlighted by oversized letters surrounded by a forest of faux trees; fishing and marine supplies feature rustic wood beams that recall a boathouse. A lounge area against a stone fireplace with plush couches and high-back armchairs mimicking a cabin helps set a cozy mood. 

The features came to life, according to Adlesh, through “an in-house team of architects work[ing] with talented artists and craftsmen and women from the region to ensure the experience paid homage to and reflected the local character and experience.”

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is a fitting tribute to Ohio’s natural beauty while preparing local outdoor enthusiasts for their next big adventure.

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📷 BASS PRO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LLC