Bass Pro Shops representatives and the City of Denham Springs held a groundbreaking ceremony, Thursday, May 3rd to mark the official beginning of construction on the long-awaited Bass Pro Shops retail store in Denham Springs.
Bass Pro Shops will be the anchor to a planned 75-acre development at I-12 and Range Avenue. The 163,000 square-foot store will include an Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant and is planned to open in late December.
The outdoor store will feature a bayou theme and offer a uniquely designed aquarium, an expansive boat showroom, and museum-quality wildlife mounts and dioramas. The 11,430 square-foot Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant will be capable of seating 300 people. The store is tentatively scheduled to open in late December of 2007.
Officials attending the groundbreaking included Governor Kathleen Blanco, Louisiana State Senator Clo Fontenot, and Louisiana State Representative Dale Erdey, Denham Springs Mayor Jimmy Durbin, Livingston Parish President Mike Grimmer, other state, city and county elected officials, Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale and Bass Pro Shops Director of Conservation Martin Mac Donald.
Regarded as part museum, part art gallery, part education, conservation and entertainment center the Denham Springs store will offer some of the same signature features of other Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World stores. However, as typical in stores in other geographic locations, this newest Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World—their second in Louisiana– will be uniquely designed to pick up the local flavor of the area’s outdoor heritage and include state record fish and wildlife exhibits and historical pictures and artifacts from local hunters and fishermen.
One of the main focal points of the store will be the large aquarium which will showcase native fish that Louisiana sportsmen and women love to catch. Museum-quality wildlife dioramas will be located throughout the store.
The Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant (pronounced ‘eye-lah-mah-rah-dah’) will also feature a large saltwater aquarium. Menu selections include a wide variety of fresh seafood entrees sure to tempt any taste bud. A concept born in the late forties in the Keys as a marina snack bar, it has grown over time into a first-class restaurant offering fresh fish, shellfish, smoked meats and wild game, rotisserie broiled fowl, great steaks, appetizers and mouth-watering desserts. Diners can enjoy recipes and a relaxing way of life normally found only in the Florida Keys. (Denham Springs Rendering)
“We are excited about bringing Bass Pro Shops to Denham and pleased to be a part of this major new development,” said Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale. “We believe this highly visible and accessible location will allow us to better serve our many customers and the many outdoor enthusiasts that visit and live in this beautiful area of the country.”
“I believe the significant effort put forth by the coalition of public officials, representatives of local businesses, legal counsel, and the financial sector bringing Bass Pro to Denham Springs was the catalyst that gave Livingston Parish leaders the spirit to believe in ourselves leading to the significant business growth in Livingston Parish now and for years to come,” Denham Springs Mayor Jimmy Durbin said.
Bass Pro Shops visitors will be able to purchase most everything they need while visiting and enjoying the outdoor opportunities in the Denham Springs area by shopping selections of fishing, hunting, camping and marine items, visiting clothing, gift and footwear departments, or dining at the Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant. The store will also feature a boat showroom featuring Tracker, Nitro, Tahoe and Mako boats all built by Tracker Marine Group—the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats.
Recognized many times for their conservation efforts and outdoor education programs, Bass Pro Shops will staff approximately 250-300 associates from the area that have a passion for the outdoors so customers will be assured of getting local skilled, knowledgeable assistance with product selections and questions. The store will also offer free Outdoor Skills Workshops for adults, kids and families that will help maximize outdoor fun by teaching new skills and improving existing ones.
“Our company has won more awards for our conservation efforts than any other outdoor retailer in America,” commented Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops Martin Mac Donald. “Bass Pro Shops’ commitment to environmental stewardship will be evident in every aspect of the Denham Springs site design to the interior of the store and especially in our community involvement where we will work with local conservation efforts to help preserve our outdoor traditions for future generations.”
About Bass Pro Shops:
Award-winning for their store concept and design, Bass Pro Shops is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, and was recently named the #1 outdoor retailer in America by Sporting Goods Business Magazine. Some 85 million people visit the stores annually. Widely recognized for their efforts in conservation and outdoor education, Bass Pro Shops stores also offer Outdoor Skills Workshops for adults, kids and families. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops currently has 41 retail locations in 23 states and Canada. In addition, Bass Pro Shops also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun.
Bass Pro Shops also offers their customers two credit card options. The first, a Bass Pro Shops Visa, allows customers to become a part of the rewards program while the second, a Bass Pro Shops proprietary credit card offers customers the benefit of promotional offers and special savings.
For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit Bass Pro Shops online. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.
