When the doors of the Bass Pro Shops Round Rock Outdoor World swing open on June 10, visitors will be amazed at how artisans have captured the beauty and outdoor opportunities found in Texas Hill Country.
Like all Bass Pro Shops, the Round Rock Outdoor World features a customized design that salutes the natural beauty of the region and rich traditions of fishing, boating, camping, hunting and hiking. Plus, it’s stocked with gear that’s specific to the area. This must-see destination store is the company’s seventh in the Lone Star State and will feature 120,000 square feet of outdoor gear, apparel, footwear and nature-themed gifts.
To land Bass Pro Shops, the City Council approved in August 2013 an incentive agreement worth up to $4.5 million, which includes $500,000 in reimbursements for site improvements. The economic program payments will be based solely on a portion of the sales tax revenue actually generated by Bass Pro Shops. Payments may not exceed $500,000 in any given year. No property tax abatements were included in the agreement.
Decorating with nature in mind
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. Décor includes hand-painted murals that wrap the store’s interior and depict familiar scenes of the region. One gets the sense of traveling through the Texas Hill Country’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 Texas trophy room with museum-quality wildlife mounts of species from all over the country. It will include white-tailed deer, elk, and record game fish mounts.
The 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium features a multiple-level waterfall and is surrounded by various wildlife mounts and exhibits including bighorn rams, elk, black bear and a mountain lion.
Each department in the store features an outdoor theme created by murals and dioramas including:
- A mural in the fishing department represents Texas state parks and lakes including Pedernales Falls, Lake Austin, and Austin’s 360 bridge (Pennybacker Bridge)
- Since the area is a major part of the North American flyway for migratory birds, a variety of waterfowl, wading birds, and birds of prey will be featured in murals and 3D exhibits
- The archery department will have a rustic feel with a display of North American game shoulder mounts, including replicas of the King of Bucks.
- A mural in the hunting department portrays a Central Texas sunset with native animals such as white-tailed deer, turkeys and wild hogs.
Vintage photos and gear complete the scenes and highlight the area’s original sportsmen and women. Plus, 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.
Wildlife exhibits showcase Texas species
The 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium is a focal point of the store and will be stocked with approximately 100 fish native to the area such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, black/white crappie, bowfin, alligator gar, spotted gar, redfish, bigmouth buffalo, channel catfish, and miscellaneous sunfish.
The store’s clerestory, or area near the high, overhead windows, depicts an authentic Texas scene complete with a pair of Texas Longhorn steers, turkeys, wild hogs, and white-tailed deer.
In addition, the Round Rock 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 attraction located within the store. It features an atmosphere and design geared for family fun and dining. Sixteen 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, watch the video below.
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. The Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store will offer customers an amazing assortment of high-quality apparel and gear featuring top industry brands such as RedHead, Ascend, Oculus, Columbia, Browning, Offshore Angler, Penn, Under Armour, and hundreds more.
Visitors will have the area’s largest array of freshwater and saltwater rods, reels and fishing accessories to choose from — all specially selected for the area. The White River Fly Shop will offer a vast selection of the latest in fly fishing gear.
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.
In addition, the store’s 6,400-square-foot boat showroom will display 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 with selections from Tracker, Nitro, Tahoe, Sun Tracker, Regency, Mako, Ascend, and more. Plus, three service bays will allow customers to get their boats rigged, serviced, and maintained right on the spot.
In addition to offering name brand gear and apparel, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is the go-to place to learn how to enjoy the outdoors. The store has hired 250-300 associates from the Round Rock area who are knowledgeable about the outdoors. 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.
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.
Visitors will see that dedication reflected in the Conservation Partner Wall, which is located near the checkouts at the Round Rock Bass Pro Shops store. The logos of the many national conservation groups that Bass Pro Shops partners with are all displayed there.
A special Evening for Conservation to help benefit area conservation groups will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 10. This exciting, celebrity-packed event is free and open to the public and kicks off the grand opening event that continues June 11-14. Information regarding this event will be available soon.
For more information regarding the store visit Bass Pro Shops Round Rock Outdoor World.
For general video about Bass Pro Shops, watch this:
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 92 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group®, a leading brand of fishing boats for more than 37 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big Cedar Lodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com/) voted number six by Travel + Leisure Magazine as World’s Best Hotels for Families. For more information, visit basspro.com.
