Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bass Pro Springfield, MO - Wow!

It's been some year since I've been to Springfield, Mo. to Bass Pro Shops. We've got Bass Pro around where I live, and they are big stores, but the original has grown to become an attraction as much as a store.

From the website:

Welcome to Springfield and the Grandaddy of all Outdoor Stores. We are the original Bass Pro Shops and are located in the heart of Springfield, Missouri at the intersection of Campbell and Sunshine Street. Our store is almost 500,000 square feet in size making us the largest Bass Pro Shops in existence! Our store is dedicated to the beauty of the outdoors with art from local artists and craftsmen prominently displayed on all the walls and ceilings making the store part shopping experience and part art museum visit.

Here's but one view inside:



The fishing wing is the best equiped fishing department I've seen. Clothes, guns, reloading, all there. Camping, boats, ATVs and a knife store all there.

Best of all is the restaraunt inside the store - Hemingway's Blue Water Cafe. I'm telling you, if this was local to me, I'd make this my watering hole. The decor is very well done, and the salt water aquarium behind the bar is spectacular.









Pictures don't do it justice. If you're ever near there, be it Spingfield or even Branson, it's worth the trip to see it.

Very cool, Jeff. We have nothing like this in Jacksonville although I am told BPS is going to build one here on the north side of town.

The last time I was there it was undergoing a extensive remodel. Did you hit the outlet across the street?

Also, Bass Pro bought the Pyramid in Memphis, TN and has turned it into a Bass Pro, complete with a hotel in it. Might be worth a trip to see. There are some youtube videos of it.

I've been there a few times when I had family living in the area. The last time was about 15 years ago and it was looking a bit run down. Looks as if they've spruced things up a bit since then.

The NRA has a museum within the stores that is killer. Has the 1,000,000 Savage 99, Charleton Heston's "from my cold, dead hands" rifle. Great selection of rifles from all periods. I could have spent an hour easy in there.

I wonder if it is profitable?

Well, its came a long ways since it started in the back of a Brown Derby liquor store when I was a kid. I've been in the Atlanta BPS and it is kinda poorly. There is a small BPS right in Branson on Lake Taneycome. I mean, right on the banks. If that isn't the best setting for one that I've been to, then it's Independence, Missouri which has a small lake right next to it and is very scenic, although it is building up around it and doesn't look as good as it once did.

IMO the original kinda went haywire when they decided to redo it all in deep south swamp decor. That's just not right for the Ozarks. Shreveport already has a BPS and I'm sure New Orleans does. Let them have the swamp stuff.

There are two in Kansas City alone. Another in Tulsa.

It is in the midst of another expansion and it is looking good inside. I'm guessing a good part of the expansion is the wildlife museum.

I'm not so sure that the goal of that Springfield store is to make a profit, but to be a showcase. Owner Johnny Morris has this as his own personal indulgence. You can do those sorts of things when privately owned. Nice not to answer to 150,000 stockholders sometimes.

If we could get some PH's and 24 H safari regulars around that bar, it would beat the Long Bar at the New Stanley in the old days. Imagine that one!

I made the trip from Indianapolis last November and spent a day there, most of the time in the firearms museum. We had supper in the restaurant which is to be highly recommended. This place needs to be on everyone's bucket list of places to visit.

Wouldn't that be something!

After going there once a month (or more like once a week) when I worked 30 miles from there and dated a girl who lived a block to the west, I kind of ran out of things to see and buy there.

Only go about every other month now.....

They should be with the prices they charge for stuff, I have a friend employee at the one near me and can get the employee discount and still don't buy much there.

Nice looking place but how much .22 ammo did they have?

Might be an epic bar fight. Might be a hell of an evening. Hard to say.

I have been to a bunch of the stores but have yet to hit the home store. I need to do that sometime.

I never got the allure of 'stores' for people.

I'm with you!! Stores in general creep me out. And in this case...

Liquor and Guns!! Perfect!

So being that they do sell booze can one carry inside?

Good place for japanese tourists.

My kids love to go there and look at the fish, snakes, ducks and turtles. I love to look at the mounts and the firearms and archery museums.