MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Bass Pro Shops has announced its first West Virginia location.
The outdoors retail giant will be an anchor store at the new WestRidge Commons which is under construction in Morgantown along Interstate 79 just south of the Star City exit.
“West Virginia, the Monongahela River area and nearby southwestern Pennsylvania are some of the best regions in the country for fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation,” Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris said in a news release. “We are thrilled to be part of this fantastic new development in Morgantown and look forward to bringing our iconic outdoor brands including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s and TRACKER Boats and ATVs to outdoor enthusiasts in the area.”
Gov. Jim Justice said he can’t wait to visit the store once it opens.
“As a lifelong outdoorsman and fisherman myself, I can tell you that having a Bass Pro Shops store at the new WestRidge development by Morgantown will be a total game-changer for our state. It will make the area an absolute destination location for anyone and everyone who loves the outdoors across the entire region,” Justice said.
Officials from Bass Pro Shops said they will hire 100 “outfitters”, most of them will come from the immediate area.
Bass Pro Shops purchased Cabela’s for $5.5 billion in 2016. There are two Cabela’s in West Virginia. One at the Highlands in Wheeling and a smaller store at Southridge in Charleston.