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The countdown is on…
ROSSFORD – From I-75, it’s virtually impossible to miss.
But when will it open?
The new 150,000 square-foot Bass Pro Shop will celebrate an official
grand opening Thursday, July 3, but a special “Evening for Conservation” to
help benefit local conservation groups will be held Wednesday night,
July 2nd beginning at 6 p.m. The exciting, celebrity-packed event is
free and open to the public.
And there will be plenty to see. Along with offering a huge selection of outdoor gear, the new Bass Pro Shop will be part museum, art gallery, antique store, aquarium, education, conservation and entertainment center. In fact, a full 37 percent of the retail space is dedicated to conservation, outdoor education and natural history of the area.
The entire store is a tribute to Ohio’s country side and people, from the rugged hills and wooded forests of the Allegheny Plateau, to the flat lands and marshes of the Great Black Swamp, from the 312 miles of coastline along Lake Erie, to the many inland rivers and lakes.
Like other Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World stores, the Rossford store will take on the flavor and atmosphere of the region in which it is located. Using over 3,500 area artifacts, antiques, pictures, mounts and memorabilia, the store will be a living museum of the hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor legacies of Ohio.
Hand-painted murals depict scenes that could be taken from the Maumee, Cuyahoga, Great Miami or the mighty Ohio rivers. State-record wildlife mounts are displayed alongside local historical prints depicting early Ohioans enjoying sporting adventures.
Massive log and rock work frame the grand entrance where inside, heart pine wood timber and chink walls and vaulted post and beam construction ceiling make up the front lobby reminiscent of an old hunting lodge. A fire crackles in the large stone fireplace authenticating the lodge-like feel complete with overstuffed leather furniture and museum-quality wildlife mounts.
Inside, giant, exquisitely crafted outdoor themed chandeliers, made by Bass Pro Shops’ artisans, hang throughout the store. Deer, turkey and pheasant tracks are imprinted in the concrete floor and bear and large whitetail deer, among other wildlife in natural and action settings, are set amidst boulders on top of the 20,000-gallon aquarium. One diorama features five wolves searching for elk amongst white oak and long leaf trees. A cave structure surrounds the aquarium, which will be stocked with more than 200 fish native to the area including large and smallmouth bass, catfish, carp, striped bass, walleye, perch and crappie. Twin elevators rise up from the aquarium offering riders a bird’s-eye view of the numerous waterfalls.
Museum-quality wildlife exhibits and dioramas are seen throughout the entire store and at any moment visitors could expect to come upon a covey of quail being flushed from grasslands or a sentinel of turkeys standing guard in a cornfield. The second floor of the store boasts a large diorama depicting moose and there is even a huge, live-in beaver lodge. Overhead, an assortment of flying and roosting turkeys along with waterfowl, Canada geese and a bald eagle fill the clerestory
Bass Pro Shops’ dedication to detail is evident wherever you look as their own artisans work with local craftspeople to create a visual style unique to that store such as the handcrafted ornate metal fire screen doors, iron railings, sconces and more.
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, all hand-picked and specially selected for the area, to choose from. 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 assist customers in making the perfect selection. A not-to-miss new addition is the ‘luggage village’ outside the fly shop offering a new line of rugged Bob Timberlake luggage for those that want to travel in style.
The attention to detail continues to be evident in the hunting department where cabinets are adorned with hand-carved animals. World Class record deer mounts grace the walls. Customers will find an equally impressive array of hunting clothing and gear. The archery department offers a bow set-up shop and a 30-yard live archery range is perfect for testing that new bow or sharpening necessary archery skills.
More than a hunting and fishing store, visitors will also find items perfect for camping, hiking, outdoor cooking, bird watching or whatever your outdoor pleasures. A gift and nature center offers a variety of items from artwork to lamps, to bird feeders and furniture, home decorating items and gifts for the holidays. Cooking accessories include cookbooks, spices, grills and jerky making items. Another new addition to the Rossford store is a food processing section in camping that offers everything for the processing and dressing of fresh meats.
The store also features a General Store, Fudge Shop and Snack Shop. Visitors can hearken to an earlier day and ‘sit a spell’ in the Snack Shop and enjoy butcher quality sandwiches served in the ambiance of the old country general store furnished with checker-playing table tops, hickory rockers on the porch and the best homemade fudge. A large collection of foods and gifts are available for country, outdoor and lodge living.
Shooters of all ages will enjoy the laser rifle arcade with 56 animated targets. Depicting an old Lake Erie campsite, the arcade takes a humorous look at the various “wild” life that has set up camp. Tents, cots, an ice fishing shack, trees and an old Model T make up the arcade as well as a beaver dam that opens up to reveal a beaver watching TV. The store also offers a seminar room that will accommodate 100 people for various civic, educational or conservation functions.
A 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, 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, Kenner and more. An on-site, state-of-the-art boat service center with 3 service bays will also be available for customers’ convenience for boat rigging.
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World has hired associates from the Rossford and Toledo area that have a passion for the outdoors so customers will be assured of getting local skilled, knowledgeable assistance with questions and selections. 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.
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