Bass Pro Shops coming to Spartanburg County in 2016

Huge outdoor store will anchor 75-acre retail complex near BMW plant

Bass Pro Shops announced plans this week to open its third Outdoor World store in South Carolina, according to officials with Spartanburg County, who said the popular outdoor retailer will anchor a 75-acre mixed-use development that will include hotels, retail stores and restaurants.

The 120,000-square foot store and development will be on a tract of land in Greer off I-I-85 at SC 101 between Spartanburg and Greenville, adjacent to the BWM automotive manufacturing facility.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to build a super outdoor store directly fronting I-85 near Greer,” said Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops’ founder. “We’re proud to offer Bass Pro Shops low prices and famous friendly, expert service to the many sportsmen and women who call this region home. This store will be a tribute to the great sporting tradition and heritage of the region and a celebration of the sporting men and women of South Carolina.”

The store is expected to open in 2016. It will be the third in South Carolina, with one in Myrtle Beach already open and another in North Charleston expected to open in 2015.

The new Bass Pro Shops store will provide direct competition with Cabela’s, which opened it’s first South Carolina store 10 miles south of the planned Bass Pro Shops location on April 4.

The Bass Pro Shops announcement left some Upstate outdoor sportsmen stunned.

“Five years ago, we didn’t have a big outdoor retailer in the area,” said Robert Mayfield, an Upstate resident. “Now we’ve got four Academy stores, three or four Dick’s, a Cabela’s and now a Bass Pro Shops. I’m going to go broke.”