Bill McGary isn’t much of an outdoorsman. In fact, McGary’s idea of roughing it, he said on a recent afternoon, is one yard off the fairway.
So what brought the Caribou native now living in Scarborough and his grandson, Zander Lizzotte, to the newly opened Cabela’s store?
“Babysitting,” McGary said. “I thought it might be interesting for him.”
There was no lack of things for a 6-year-old to do. Like other children did around the store that day, Zander found a wooden air rifle for kids, aimed one at the many animal mounts around the store, and let it rip, filling the air with a loud pop.
Even those too young to hold a real rifle, or old enough to hunt but lacking the interest to do so, will find a reason to spend time at Cabela’s, the retail version of a famous catalogue company that claims to be the world’s largest outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear. The length of the average visit to a Cabela’s is four hours, according to General Manager Dan Whitcher.
There are 28 Cabela’s stores either built or in the works. Although the Scarborough store has been open for business for a week, this weekend is its grand opening, complete with a sales flier that started on Thursday.
“People come for the Cabela’s name,” said Whitcher, a New Hampshire native. “A lot of people who are Internet and catalogue customers have been waiting for this. We knew we had customers here in Maine who were really loyal, and that’s been true. That’s what we’re getting.”
It’s hard to tell where visitors are coming from, he said, although many have indicated they’re driving three to four hours to get to Scarborough. Cabela’s administrative assistant Amy Dubay, a Caribou native, said her family would make the trip once school is finished for the year.
“It’s a long trip, but Maine is filled with hunters and fishermen. It’s their passion,” she said. “This is the one store that has it all. We don’t have anything like that [in Aroostook County]. And it’s not just a store. It’s like a museum. There’s just so much here.”
Although the 126,000-square-foot Scarborough store, which is located just off Exit 42 of the Maine Turnpike, is on the small side compared to the 267,000-square-foot store in Hamburg, Pa., it seems at times there’s too much to see and do. If you go, be forewarned – there are so many displays, activities and so much merchandise that even the most rabid outdoors enthusiast will miss something.
Just don’t miss Conservation Mountain, but more on that later.
There’s a map as you enter the store, but it’s not very specific. Your best bet is to enter the doors and turn right to start your adventure.
First up along the back wall in the camping section is a life-size diorama with full-body mounts of heavily poached African animals, including a steenbok, a warthog, a sable antelope, an African lion, a Cape buffalo and a white rhinoceros.
Camping equipment melds into hiking shoes, which then flows into the massive fishing section, starting with the Fly Rod Shop. Thousands of rods are on display.
The back right corner of the store holds the 10,000-gallon aquarium containing different species of fresh water fish, followed by an entire section of fishing equipment and supplies.
The fishing and camping equipment drew University of Maine sophomores Zach Brown and Sam Adams, who grew up together in South Portland and have camped in Baxter State Park and fished the Allagash River.
“I’ve been hearing about it,” Brown said of the Cabela’s opening. “It’s pretty exciting to be here. … We’ve been camping all our lives, so this type of stuff is interesting.”
The store likely will stock up with more equipment for ice fishing and salt water fishing in order to tailor the store toward Maine outdoors enthusiasts, Whitcher said.
The next section is a hunter’s heaven, starting with the animated shooting gallery that is a hit with both kids and adults.
Tucked away in a corner, the indoor archery range is easy to miss. But more and more people seem to be finding it, as archery supplies have been especially popular since the store opened.
After a gun library packed with collectibles, guns for the average consumer, and ammunition, there’s a gift section, including shelves of food such as beef jerky, pancake mix, jellies and jams. Hungry? Stop by the deli for a sandwich or salad.
It might be best to take a break before heading to the jewel of the store – yes, it’s time for Conservation Mountain, easily one of the coolest sights in any retail store in Maine.
A staple of the Cabela’s stores, the mountain is a pile of rock with more than 40 different free-standing animal mounts from different terrains and climates. The animals are fixed in various activities they might perform in their natural environments.
In the desert, a prairie dog pops out of a hole. A mountain lion watches and waits. A prairie rattlesnake slithers. Over in the wintry snow scene, a polar bear prowls, and an Arctic fox mingles with caribou and lynx.
The way the mounts are displayed is even more impressive. A coyote stands on a cliff with a jackrabbit in its mouth. Two mule deer battle, their horns locked. A wolf snarls at a group of wolverines.
There’s a Canada moose in the mountain display with a sign that lets visitors know the animal was taken in Aroostook County by Chris Smith in 2005.
Once you’ve finished exploring the mountain, don’t forget to look up. There’s an old airplane suspended from the ceiling, murals of Mount Katahdin and the coast, Old Town canoes displayed over the customer service center, and even more animal mount displays.
Then there’s the bargain cave, the fudge counter and the shallow outdoor pool for canoeing and kayaking demonstrations. It’s almost an endless array of attractions.
It’s not perfect shopping, however. The store is wonderful for hunters and anglers, but if you’re looking for a wide selection of clothes, or for a mountain bike or to outfit your camp, you’ll find a relatively small selection.
The open floor plan does have a certain big-box store feel, although touches of real pine, maple and oak, and sandy red floor tiles lend some warmth. Whitcher said customers like the single floor plan because they say it’s easier to get around.
Cabela’s probably could have done better by Maine in its gift shop too, which is loaded with food items such as beef jerky, pancake mix and candy from Texas, Massachusetts and the company’s home base in Nebraska. But there could be room for Raye’s Mustard from Eastport or Stonewall Kitchen items from York. Even the blueberry jam is not from Maine.
But those are small things that any outdoor enthusiast – or grandfather on babysitting patrol – could easily overlook during a few hours’ visit.
Even though Caribou native McGary sticks to golf for his outdoor activities, he grew up with a father who fished and tied flies.
“I think,” McGary said as Zander Lizzotte took aim with his air gun at a deer on Conservation Mountain, “he would have been impressed.”
jbloch@bangordailynews.net
990-8287
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