Bass Pro Shops officially opened its new Fort Smith location recently, with customers lining up overnight to be among the first inside and get a chance at special grand opening giveaways. The store announced earlier this year that is was looking to hire for about 150 positions.
The new 70,000-square-foot store marks Bass Pro Shops’ third Arkansas location and features hunting, camping, fishing, shooting, clothing, and boating equipment, along with a signature Ozarks-inspired cave, hand-painted murals, and a 19,000-gallon aquarium.
Opening day also served as the company’s Day of Conservation. For every dollar spent on most items, 15% was donated to local conservation organizations. The first 100 customers through the doors received gift cards valued between $10 and $500.
General Manager Jeff Smith said the new location is designed to be more than a retail store, with a mission centered on customer service, community involvement, and outdoor education.
“We're all about the customer, all about the community. Being the third store in the state, we want to be the best. So we're gonna, we're gonna really strive to make sure that our customer enforcement loves us and continues to shop with us every day," Smith said.