As Corpus Christi courts outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops, some local anglers and shop owners fear it could threaten beloved small businesses like Hard Life's Bait & Tackle.
Corpus Christi's efforts to lure a Bass Pro Shops outlet have angered Coastal Bend fishermen. Some applaud the outdoor giant, but others worry it could hurt locally owned shops that have served fishermen for years.
Mayor Paulette Guajardo stated that Bass Pro Shops was considering Coastal Bend for a new location last October. She told KIII-TV in Corpus Christi that company executives would scout sites this week.
Local store owners like Alberto Zertuche of Hard Life's Bait & Tackle saw the news as a danger, not a development. Zertuche and others are wary of Corpus Christi offering Bass sales-tax relief like Tyler, Texas, did in exchange for revenue targets.
"I'm all for people growing and prospering," Zertuche told KIII. "I just don't like it when you’re forcing me to help somebody else who won't help me in return."
Local anglers quickly sided on Facebook. Local shop supporters worry Bass Pro's size could sink Zertuche's. One fisherman noted, "You can get any piece of saltwater fishing equipment you need at Roy's in Corpus and Tackle Town in Rockport."
Another said, "Big firms bring no competition... It may add 200 jobs, but it takes 200 from local businesses."
Many supported the idea. Bass Pro Shops' wide assortment of fishing, hunting, and outdoor gear, reduced costs, and convenience were praised.
"Bring it to CC," one user said, citing the area's hunting reputation.
Others claimed devoted customers may save tiny shops. "I get the argument, but if Bass Pro is successful, it will employ way more residents here," he said. "The smaller businesses will be fine as long as people who are not for it keep their business at the smaller stores."
Great American Outdoors Group, the parent business of Bass Pro Shops, is a retail giant. According to Forbes, after acquiring Cabela's in 2017, the Missouri-based corporation opened 175 locations in the U.S. and Canada and earned $8.1 billion in 2024.
Spring debuted recently in Texas, joining Katy and League City.
Corpus Christi politicians want the huge shop, but fishers and businesses in the Coastal Bend will undoubtedly debate whether it's a blessing or a threat.
