Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Opens August 20 in Bristol, Tennessee
OutdoorHub 07.22.14
New store salutes the area’s diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and outdoor traditions.
When the doors of the Bass Pro Shops Bristol Outdoor World, swing open on Aug. 20, visitors will be amazed at how artisans have captured the beauty and outdoor opportunities found in northeastern Tennessee. Massive log and rock work, a large indoor aquarium and water feature stocked with native fish species, hand-painted murals, museum quality fish and wildlife mounts, photos, and artifacts will all pay tribute to the region’s great outdoor heritage.
Bass Pro Shops visitors can expect to be immersed in Bristol area scenery from the Appalachian Mountains’ rocky outcrops to hardwood forests laced with sparkling waterfalls; from lush meadows arrayed with wildflowers to the myriad of rainbow trout in clear mountain lakes. And, at the soon-to-open Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, residents and visitors can now gear up to enjoy the region’s world-class fishing, boating, hunting, camping and hiking.
The 100,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, at 1 Bass Pro Drive in Bristol, Tennessee, is a tribute to Tennessee’s awesome beauty and abundant wildlife. In addition, the store celebrates Bristol as the birthplace of country music and home to Bristol Motor Speedway. The Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store is a lead anchor for the new Pinnacle mixed-use development located at the Exit 74 intersection of Interstate 81 and Highway 11W. It is scheduled to open Wednesday, Aug. 20, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony that begins at 6 p.m.
Bass Pro Shops – Store, Museum, Art Gallery, Entertainment and More
Bass Pro Shops uniquely designed, award-winning stores are often considered to be part museum, art gallery, antique store, aquarium, and centers for conservation education and fun. They also offer the area’s largest selection of high-quality outdoor gear as well as a staff of dedicated professionals who promote the outdoor lifestyle and live it as well. In fact, Bass Pro Shops has been voted best in delivering service excellence two years in a row by J.D. Power and Associates.
The Bristol Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World features the popular Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill. This one-of-a-kind concept, developed by Johnny Morris and named after his uncle, is a nautical-themed entity located within the store. It features an atmosphere and design geared for family fun and dining. Twelve lanes will offer customers the chance to feel like they’re bowling in the ocean. Casual family dining will be available in the grill where customers can select from a menu featuring a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and burgers. To see the popular Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill, visit this link.
Learn About Bass Pro Shops Dedication to Conservation
Since the beginning, Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris has been dedicated to inspiring people, especially youth and families, to love, enjoy and conserve the great outdoors. That commitment, demonstrated over the course of several decades, is a big reason why Bass Pro Shops is known as the outdoor industry’s corporate conservation leader. Bass Pro Shops has partnered with and supports the efforts of many conservation organizations that work to conserve and manage the nation’s natural resources. The company’s key conservation initiatives include fish and wildlife habitat improvements, conservation and outdoor skills education, improving water quality and quality of our lakes and springs, and conservation advocacy.
The Conservation Partner Wall, which is located near the checkouts at the Bristol Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, reflects that commitment to conservation with a display showcasing the logos of national conservation groups that Bass Pro Shops partners with.
“The people of our company believe very strongly that the future of our industry, the sports we serve, and the sports we personally enjoy are absolutely more dependent upon our conservation efforts and how we manage our natural resources than anything else,” said Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. “It is far more important than any catalog we mail, any new store we open, or any new product our vendor creates.”
Decorating With Nature in Mind
Hand-painted murals wrap the store’s interior and depict familiar scenes of the region. One gets the sense of traveling through northeast Tennessee’s landscape as the murals transport the viewer through a series of panoramic vistas—all beautifully replicated with the stroke of an artist’s brush. Through the use of special lighting techniques, the murals take on a living, breathing quality.
The lobby is designed to resemble a rustic lodge and displays trophy wildlife mounts. A fireplace, constructed of large, stacked rock boasts a sculptured metal grill.
Murals and dioramas throughout the store include:
- A presentation of bear taxidermy near the turnstiles at the store’s entrance represents the black bear area near the Bays Mountain recreation area.
- A panoramic mural viewing of the Bristol Motor Speedway, along with photos of Bass Pro Shops NASCAR history, is above the restroom entry. Because many racing fans are passionate about the outdoors, Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. Currently, Bass Pro Shops sponsors Tony Stewart, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing; Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing; Ty Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Richard Childress Racing; and Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.
- The wall in the archery department is the façade of an old barn made with wood and doors reclaimed from several old barns in the area.
- A mural of the iconic Bristol Arch on the Tennessee/Virginia line adorns the large wall between the footwear and archery departments. In addition, historical photos of the many country music legends that founded country music in Tennessee grace the wall.
- A cut-away mural features the Watauga Lake area in the fishing department.
- The hunting counter diorama includes taxidermy displays of turkey, deer, pheasants, and coyotes.
The clerestory area, or upper part of the wall near the ceiling, features a wrap-around mural depicting several familiar Virginia/Tennessee landmarks. Beginning with Boone Lake, the mural extends into a muddy marsh landscape that features feral hogs. The mural moves on to the wooded forests of the Cherokee National Forest and meadows of the Great Smoky Mountains eventually merging into the Appalachians and upper Blue Ridge Mountain range.
A trout stream scene from Beaver Dam Creek is painted above the fitting rooms with an underwater stream and fish diorama of rainbow and brown trout. A mural near the aquarium features the Bays Mountain recreational area and Chimney Mountain—a local favorite for hiking.
The murals are unique in the fact that what starts out many times as a simple painting extends into an actual fish or wildlife mount or some other property creating a 3-D effect. Vintage photos and antique gear complete the scene and highlight the area’s original sportsmen and women.
The 13,000-gallon freshwater aquarium is a focal point of the store and features a 3-D diorama of a mountain scene and waterfall, reminiscent of Blue Hole Falls located on Holston Mountain, with elk, bear, and a mountain lion. The aquarium will be stocked with more than 100 fish native to the area such as largemouth bass, striped bass, black/white crappie, lake sturgeon, rainbow trout, freshwater drum, northern pike, walleye, blue catfish, and more.
Wildlife Exhibits Showcase Tennessee Species
Displays throughout the store will feature museum-quality mounts of wildlife native to Tennessee such as deer, coyote, raccoons, mountain lion, bear, bobcat, quail and more.
Bass Pro Shops dedication to detail is evident wherever visitors look as artisans work to create a visual style unique to that store, including handcrafted ornate metal fire screen doors, iron railings, sconces and more.
The Merchandise Matches Local Shoppers’ Needs
But the attention to detail doesn’t stop with store design and imagery elements. The same consideration is given to merchandise selection. Visitors will have the area’s largest array of freshwater rods, reels and fishing accessories to choose from – all specially selected for the area.
The White River Fly Shop, featuring antique and collectible fly fishing memorabilia, has a vast selection of the latest in fly fishing gear. Experts will continue the art of hand-tying flies on site and assisting customers in making the perfect selection.
In the hunting department, customers will find an equally impressive array of hunting clothing and gear while the archery department offers a bow set-up shop.
More than a hunting and fishing store, visitors also will find items perfect for camping, hiking, outdoor cooking, bird watching or whatever their outdoor pleasures may be. A gift and nature center offers a variety of items such as:
• Artwork
• Lamps
• Bird feeders
• Furniture
• Home decorating items
• Gifts for the holidays
• Cooking accessories such as cookbooks, spices, grills, and jerky making items.
A wide selection of men’s and women’s footwear and apparel, featuring popular brands including Columbia, North Face, Bob Timberlake, and RedHead, are also available.
The marine and boat center displays a full range of boats from Tracker Marine, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing boats. From big water boats to small fishing boats, canoeing and even kayaking, customers will find exactly what they need to have fun on the water with selections from Tracker, Nitro, Tahoe, Sun Tracker, Mako, Ascend and more. An on-site, state-of-the-art boat service center with three service bays also will be available for customers’ convenience for boat rigging as well as a full-time master service technician. In addition, Bass Pro Shops is the nation’s leading Arctic Cat® dealer.
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World has hired 200-250 associates from the Bristol area. In addition, the store will offer free outdoor skills workshops throughout the year for adults, kids and families that will help maximize outdoor fun by teaching new skills and improving existing ones.
A special Evening for Conservation to help benefit area conservation groups will take place the night before the official grand opening. This exciting, celebrity-packed event is free and open to the public. Information regarding this event will be available soon.
For more information regarding the Bristol Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World visit Bass Pro Shops Bristol Outdoor World,.
For general video about Bass Pro Shops visit http://youtu.be/Nib4BEQl2-k
