New Bass Pro Shop opens today

[Guest Author]

It's located between the verterans parkway and 131 exits in Southern Indiana off of I-65.

280,000sq.ft. of goodies


Larry

[elnutsmalljaws]

Don't get me wrong, I love to go to the BSP just a much as the next guy. I am sure I will be visiting the new one soon, but hate the fact that they keep getting bigger and bigger all the time. Personal opinion only, but if companies like BSP and ESPECIALLY Wally World are not controlled by our great government of the world we will have a Monopoly on our hands soon which is completely illegal. I am only 38 but can remember when Wal-Mart had other competition in the retail world as few as 20 years ago. But slowly and surely they have disappeared one by one and if things are not controlled we will have no other retail chains to compete with WAl-Mart and Sam's Club and the Walton family will own everything. If/when this happens, all those great prices and deals that everyone gets today could be sky high prices later for we have no other options to shop for they are all out of business. I have taught my management staff that If someone starts a plant across the street from ours, and they do it better, safer, with better customer service and quality, we will be out of business in a matter of time. If you look around at today's society, you see more and more businesses especially small businesses closing up shop. Small hardware and lumber stores folding to the Home Depot's and Lowes of the worlds. Even K-Mart has pretty much shut down due to Wal-Mart. I have never met Mat Plapp or been to his store but sure wished I lived close for I know I would visit it just due to his customer service that I perceive it would represent. The way a company runs is a direct reflection of its leader. I see Matt posting items about his store and seminar's, sure it is to draw business into his facility but you can read the genuine service that he is trying to provide. I bought a new boat 2 years ago and already know if / when I buy my next new one I will certainly look him up to see what he has to offer just from the postings he has made on this sight. Bigger is not always better. Yes it may get all of us a lower price for the mass quantities that the big retail chains purchase now but what happens when that same retail chain wakes up and realizes that not only are they the Big Dog on the block but also the ONLY DOG ON THE BLOCK.

Just my opinion

Tight Lines

[HoosierDon]

It seems to me that some people forget when Johnny Morris and Sam Walton and others were smaller than Plapps is now. Maybe in fifty years Plapps will be the big dog on the block. Don't you guys remember what "Free Enterprise" is all about?? My business never grew to run with the big boys but you can bet your backside that that was my goal. Some of us achieve the "American Dream" and others just stand around and nip at their heals. For one I love BPS and always have. I have never found anything but very helpful clerks. The guys at the reel counters especially are helpful. My grandmother had a saying, 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all'. And if a grown man can't get around a pushy guy trying to sell a weekend get-a-way then so sad. Its called just walking away. Ooops, I've violated Grandma's saying........nuff said.

[mattplapp]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-27-05 AT 00:08AM (EST)[/font][p]If you read a little farther, you'll see I said exactly what you said as far as the "American Dream" idea. I don't disagree with you at all on that part of the equation. It's a great country where a mom and pop can grow into a gigantic company.

But that doesn't make everything the big guys do right. Trust me, it's been hard to pass on my thoughts, ideas and theries to our employees as we've grown from 3 to 30 in the last 3 1/2 years, imagine how out of wack that would get in 50 years and 30,000 people.

Matt

[TI]

What a great thread for discussion, especially having contribution from Matt Plapp giving his side of the coin. Matt's perspective is interesting and I think spot on as it relates to the long term opportunities. I believe that there is a place for both the "Big Box" and local pro shops like Plapps in our markets. It will depend on location, service and inventory when an angler chooses his destination. Personally, I will stop in Gander to pick up some items simply because I'm in the neighborhood. But, if I need something specific for bass fishing on local waters or some quality service on rods and reels, then I'll plan a trip to The Outdoorsman in Greenwood. It is a great store with great people behind the counter. Truly!! However, I can't find everything that I like there. I fish a specific lure in a specific color May through November and I can't find it anywhere but Bass Pro Shops online. So, everyone is getting a share of my spend. And honestly, The Outdoorsman or Black Hawk or Plapps or whatever local pro shop would be my first choice everytime. I think a lot of bass fishermen feel the same way.

TI

[mattplapp]

You guys are both right, elnutsmalljaws & TI. As a small business owner we just have to do our very best and it will come around. By no means are we at Plapp's Perfect, but I teach our employees to treat everyone like you would want to be treated and we only hire people who I feel can truly help our cusomters and not just fill in for someone else. The big guys will keep growing until Wall Street tells them no too and then they'll cut back. At the same time you have to look at companies like Bass Pro and Wallmart and marvel how a few people started a company 20-40 years ago with a small idea and watched it BOOM. From my standpoint I love that type of stuff and enjoy seeing examples like these companies all the time.

But with that said, it's every small business owners job to adjust their product mix and service to survive. And like guys said, hard core bass fisherman will visit the small custom tackle stores first and hopefully more frequently.

Matt

[Topwater2004]

Is it as big as Plapp's Outdoors?

[Guest Author]

Much bigger than Plapps. Take a super wally world and add about 1/5th more and thats about what you looking at in size.

I went the other night and spent most of my time in the fishing department. I did look at the depthfinders for a few minutes right before I left. I'd like to have a Lowrance 102X color unit for up front. I probably have one before next spring.
I'm going back after work today just to see the rest of the place. Might find something else I don't need.

Nice place go see it if you can. The one corner is full of boats plus all the ones outside if you like their boats.


Larry

[Topwater2004]

Sounds good. I will go there in the spring, when they have their sale on plastics and cranks. Don't need many cranks, but need to replenish the Zoom and Yum etc... Their sale paper they sent me said 50% off on all Zoom plastics right now.

My 2003 Lowe 170W is paid for, so I can't really justify a boat. I only have a 50hp Yamaha on it, but I don't fish tournaments and it doesn't use much gas.

Going out later today and just fish out of an ole' jon boat on a small pond.

[mattplapp]

Yes any and every bass pro shops will be bigger than a small store like ours as far as tackle goes. Boats, they can't touch us, especailly on quality of product.

Now does bigger mean better on the tackle end of it???? I don't think so, most chain stores purchase their tackle once a year and the same for every store nationwide. A small local tackle store orders only for their market, every week with the local anglers guidance. So if a roadkill camo with purple spec tube is hitting on Barren, then the local guy can get that it everyday of the week if need be. Plus the small guys have the ability to carry lots of local and regional baits that the big boys don't even know about. I would bet money that our tackle store would smoke any national chain 10 out of 10 times when it comes to putting in the anglers hands baits for the area, not just our store but a lot of local tackle stores around the state like Backwaters in Somerset or Black Hawk in Indy. Take those items and the fact that you will get expert advise every time at a local tackle store and you will find yourself bypassing the big box stores after the honeymoon.

Matt Plapp

[Dave Stewart]

Matt: Good point on the chain store vs the small business store. If we as anglers do not support the smaller tackle shops they won't be around for long....seems another BPS is opening every month. Just like Wal-Mart....there are 5 Wal-mart superstores within 25 miles of my house and I live in a rural setting. There definitely is a difference between dealing with a small tackle shop than with BPS. Last time I stopped in at the Nashville store I was asked by one of the employees working the fishing area if they could help me...I was wondering around looking some slab spoons....the guy asked me to describe what a slab spoon was....I told him if he didn't know he needed to go to work at Wal-mart...they don't know what one is either.

[mattplapp]

Time will catch up with Bass Pro and other Big Box Retailers. Now Wall Street demands new stores to keep increasing their cash flow, but soon enough there will be too many and it will start to go the other way.

Look at Krispy Kreme. They had a small presence in our market up here in NKY and Cincinnati back in 1999, by 2003 they had a store on about every corner, donuts in every gas station and grocery store and Wall Street Loved them. But then sales flattened and started to go down because the new-ness wore off. Now today there is not 1 single stand alone Krispy Kreme in this market and their presence is minimal.

It's the American way sometimes, but I think once all the dust clears, fisherman in every market realize what you get from a local well run tackle store versus the big guys.

Happy Turkey Day,
Matt