Cafaro News Articles

Bass Pro Shops Grand Opening

Posted on | by Joe Bell

MOTHERFUCKING POST THUMBNAIL BITCHES

Shoppers hooked on Bass Pro Shops

New store reels in lovers of the great outdoors

LOCAL NEW  

NOV 16, 2023

MASON COLE

Reporter

mcole@tribtoday.com

Staff photo / R. Michael Semple Jim Gintner of Howland, along with Vivi, 4, and Brennan, 6, try on some Bass Pro Shops hats Wednesday during the grand opening of the new store in Niles.

 

NILES — Bass Pro Shops officially opened its doors at the Eastwood Mall Complex after a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by hundreds of customers Wednesday.

The grand opening gave lovers of the outdoors a chance to take advantage of deals on merchandise, with early Black Friday bargains and giveaways.

The ceremony, titled the “Evening for Conservation,” culminated with a percentage of proceeds on sales going toward local conservation efforts.

“This evening for conservation is a big deal,” Jimmy Houston, hall of fame angler and television host, said. “It’s a tremendous thing because the money raised here tonight will stay right here in this area.”

While initial plans were for 10% of every dollar spent during the evening to go toward local conservation efforts, Houston announced that Bass Pro officials were raising the donation to 20%.

Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, said he hoped the store would be embraced by residents of the Mahoning Valley.

“When you go into the shop, we hope you’re very proud,” Morris said.

“I walked in here a couple of weeks ago, I’m so proud. I just want to say thank you to every craftsman and woman, every artist, every talented person who worked on this. They worked hard to make this store your store, and it’s very unique to this region.”

According to a news release, Bass Pro Shops has a history of conservation support throughout Ohio, including work with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

The release said that in the past three years alone the company has granted over $100,000 to local organizations and conservation projects through the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund.

The Niles location is the seventh in Ohio, and the only location within 150 miles of the Mahoning Valley.

Bruce Miller, general manager of the Niles location, said he is thrilled to see Bass Pro’s entry into Trumbull County.

Miller said the store will provide outdoorsmen with all of the products and equipment that they might need.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me,” he said. “I was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and to bring this legendary brand back here and just to represent Johnny Morris and everything that he has built with this brand is absolutely incredible. We’ve got hunting, fishing, camping, clothing, anything that you can imagine to get you to the outdoors and enjoying the natural resources that we have in this area.”

The 93,000-square-foot store features a 5,000-gallon trough aquarium with 70 native fish. The store is filled with antique artifacts displayed along the walls, next to hand-painted murals celebrating Ohio farmlands and local hunting and fishing scenery, according to the news release. There also are several North American big game mounts and taxidermized wildlife dioramas lining the walls.

Anthony Cafaro Jr., co-president of the Cafaro Company, said the store will draw shoppers from across the state to the Eastwood complex.

“We’re thrilled to have Bass Pro Shops here at the Eastwood Mall complex,” he said. “This is the jewel of the Mahoning Valley, just having a destination retailer that is not just going to pull people from the local community, but from the region, it’s just outstanding.”

Product giveaways will be available over the five-day grand opening event. The store will be open for regular business hours the rest of the week.

 

Boscov’s kicks off Grand Opening for first store in West Virginia

Posted on | by Joe Bell

MOTHERFUCKING POST THUMBNAIL BITCHES

 

Boscov’s kicks off West Virginia grand opening celebration with Charity Day shopping as thousands flock to see new store in Bridgeport’s Meadowbrook Mall

  • by Charles Young SENIOR STAFF WRITER THE EXPONENT TELEGRAM

 

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WV News) — The line to get into the Boscov’s location at Meadowbrook Mall on Thursday stretched down the sidewalk in both directions, filled with hundreds of shoppers eagerly waiting to be among the first inside the area’s newest department store.

Each of those in attendance paid $5 for a shopping pass that allowed them to participate in the store’s Charity Day. All the proceeds from the sale of the passes will benefit 175 local nonprofits.

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” said Jim Boscov, chairman and CEO of Boscov’s. “Certainly, it’s great to have a store full of people, but this is Charity Day. These are people who donated $5 to their favorite charity.”

Boscov had a very busy morning, which included greeting customers as they lined up outside and making periodic announcements over the store’s intercom system.

“People who have never seen us before are saying, ‘Wow, you guys really have everything.’ It’s a big store,” he said. “As busy as we are, we have about 220 co-workers that we’ve hired right from the area, plus we have another 150 that we’ve asked to come down from our other stores to help out. We’ve got lots of people to offer service.”

Wendy Imperial, a Bridgeport resident, said she’s been anticipating the opening of Boscov’s for several months.

“I walk every morning up here at the mall, so I’ve been watching the progress of stores moving and then this being built. I’m just thrilled that the day is finally here,” she said.

Imperial said she’s glad the mall was able to secure another anchor retailer after years of seeing stores move or relocate.

“So many times you see malls that are becoming obsolete. It’s so sad to see that square footage get emptied,” she said. “This is going to be an absolute boost in the arm of our community. All of the surrounding retailers are going to benefit from it. And we’re just thrilled that they chose this mall to come to and open a new store.”

Imperial used Boscov’s Charity Day to get a jump on her holiday shopping.

“I looked for some of the ‘door buster’ deals — I got some flashlights that I was looking for and then saw these that were on sale,” she said, holding up a decorative throw blanket. “I’m heading to women’s clothes to look at some things there that I’ve seen through the window as I’ve been walking.”

Harley Jeffries, a Bridgeport resident, said he’d also heard a lot about the Boscov’s opening.

“We’d been hearing about it for a while. It’s been underway and under construction. We’re always anxious — we’re a bunch of lookie-loos — to come see what’s what and what’s going on with the store and what all they have,” Jeffries said.

Thursday’s events kicked off Boscov’s Three-Day Grand Opening Celebration.

Friday will be Family Fun Day, featuring free family activities and entertainment. It will be the first opportunity for members of the public who didn’t purchase a Charity Day pass to shop in the store.

On Saturday, starting at 9:30 a.m., the Bridgeport High School marching band will kick off a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Brad Riffee, executive director of the United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties, and representatives of United Way member agencies will cut a special ribbon made of $100 bills for the agencies, plus a $1,000 bill for the United Way itself.

Saturday shoppers also can take in performances by Elvis Aaron Presley Jr., and Jason Lindsey, aka “Mr. Science.”

Senior Staff Writer Charles Young can be reached at 304-626-1447 or cyoung@theet.com

 

New Trampoline Park at Kennedy Mall

Posted on | by Joe Bell

MOTHERFUCKING POST THUMBNAIL BITCHES

Biz Buzz: Iowa-based company acquires trampoline park in Dubuque mall

 

An Iowa-based company has acquired a trampoline park in Dubuque.

Edwards Entertainment Company officially acquired Vertical Jump Park located in Kennedy Mall, 555 John F. Kennedy Road, earlier this month. The space is now known as The Fun Station Dubuque.

“Dubuque has been on our radar for a while,” said Nick Edwards, president and CEO of Edwards Entertainment Company. “We’ve been looking for the perfect location. The opportunity that came about was with the previous owners with Vertical. It’s a good fit for us to come into an existing business that has been established and put a Fun Station twist on everything.”

Edwards Entertainment Company operates two other The Fun Station locations, one in Cedar Rapids and one in the Quad Cities.

Edwards said rebranding to The Fun Station Dubuque, as well as adding new activities for all ages, will take place over the next several months, though he stressed the space will remain open throughout the transition.

“We’re still going to have all the trampoline attractions,” he added. “We’re reconfiguring some of the trampoline areas.”

Other The Fun Station activities coming to the space this fall and winter include a “play maze,” which Edwards said are signature features at their other locations. The multi-level maze features slides and interactive elements.

Other activities that will be added include an indoor zipline, trapeze swings and “slick slides,” which Edwards described as “water slides without the water.”

Two changes have already taken place in the space. Edwards said the Box Car Cafe, a quick-serve restaurant featuring over 55 menu items, including appetizers, pizzas, flatbreads, burgers, quesadillas and desserts, is open for business.

The Fun Station Dubuque also changed the pricing model. Instead of paying by the hour, Edwards said families can pay one price per day, with the ability to leave and come back for more play.

“We’re really excited about being in Dubuque and the entire tri-state area,” Edwards said. “Our company is all about providing good, old-fashioned family fun, and we’re excited to be here in the region.”

Kennedy Mall spokesman Joe Bell said Vertical Jump Park, which opened in 2016, has been a great attraction to the mall, and he is excited to see what Edwards will do with the space.

“We think it’s going to be tremendously popular,” Bell said.

The Fun Station Dubuque is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. More information can be found online at gofunstation.com.