Article content continued

“From a catalogue standpoint out of the U.S., we’ve been selling since 1961 and have had a presence in Canada since about 1980-81,” said Harris.

“Western Canada has got such an outdoor culture. If you look at Calgary for example, anything from hunting to fishing to just general outdoor activity, camping, hiking, (it’s) just a natural place for our brand to be.”

The Calgary store is 70,000 square feet. There are two store models in Canada of 50,000 square feet and 70,000 square feet.

“Our south Edmonton store is a very similar size although the Calgary store is going to get the latest and greatest fixtures. We’ve done a lot of work on our floor displays. I’m not going to say Edmonton south isn’t great. It’s great. But this is even better bringing the latest and greatest for Calgary,” said Harris.

Jay de Nance, director of tenant services for Fairfield Commercial Real Estate Inc., in Calgary, said the outdoor adventurist community of the Greater Calgary Region will be lining up to be the first to experience Nebraska-based Cabela’s grand opening at Destination:Deerfoot City.

“Calgary’s close proximity to the Canadian Rocky Mountains guarantees Cabela’s will be a magnet for consumers with active lifestyles that are looking to experience the latest and greatest in outdoor products,” he said. “The addition of Cabela’s to the shopping centre will be a great traffic driver for the site as the highly-visible destination-oriented location is sure to be a hit with shoppers from across the Calgary region and beyond.”

Cabela’s will be competing in the same market with the American-based outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops store at CrossIron Mills, only a few kilometres north.

James Moller, general manager at CrossIron, said Bass opened March 2009, just ahead of the mall opening on August 19, 2009. The store is 145,000 square feet.

“Our Bass Pro has been an incredible traffic draw for the centre, generating roughly 20 per cent of the overall traffic coming to CrossIron Mills,” said Moller.

mtoneguzzi@calgaryherald.com

Twitter.com/MTone123