Top-notch teachers who travel the path around the Falls know one technique to get youngsters to read: provide them with high-interest reading materials. For girls, it may be one type of literature, and for boys, it may be something else.
Thinking back to our younger days, at some point we came across one of the best, high-interest reading materials for boys of all ages, the Herter’s Sporting Goods catalog. Anyone who has ever seen one would agree. George Herter started his mail-order business in 1937 from atop his father’s dry goods shop in Waseca, Minn. When we first saw it, the thick catalog was printed in black and white, but the descriptions of the products were as colorful as any of today’s flashy websites.
Many of the products carried the Herter’s name and bragged of being better than any competitor’s products. George Herter wrote much of the copy. No one would accuse him of being overly modest. He inspired a dedicated following.
While the catalog inspired visions of products that would make any outdoor experience something really special, seeing the real thing became a Mecca-like destination. Visiting the retail store in Waseca provided not only a chance to see and touch many of the products, but also to experience the unique smells of a large sporting goods store. The fragrance of leather and gun oil was unmistakable and was embedded in the mind as a favorite memory. One of the more popular sections of the facility was the bargain area where returned goods or one-of-a-kind items could be had for greatly reduced prices.
With time, the massive Herter’s empire came to an end as financial difficulties took their toll. One of the last vestiges of the empire was a small retail outlet in Beaver Dam that specialized in fly fishing products. Now that, too, is history.
The legacy of the Herter’s catalog is not only a generation of middle-aged men who can read, but also a sporting goods industry that has flourished. Perhaps the most successful successor is Cabela’s. Founded in 1961, the first retail store in Sidney, Neb., became a required detour for many headed to the Rocky Mountains.
Cabela’s catalogs were not as thick and somewhat less bombastic in product description than Herter’s. Loyal customers know that what may be lacking in product description largess is made up in volume of catalogs. The annual master catalog is thicker and slicker than any Herter’s catalog.
Cabela’s has a great retail network, with stores in many states, including three in Wisconsin. Last week the newest opened in Green Bay. The prospect of a new store in Green Bay was great news. It’s strategically located with easy access for travelers from the north. No doubt a third of Upper Michigan’s true outdoors persons will visit by the time Santa comes down the chimney.
The grand opening was set for Thursday, but the people working the store did not come into that event cold. A number of pre-grand opening events were held. One day was for family and friends of employees. Another was for construction workers who worked on the building. One day was set aside for holders of the Cabela’s credit card. Each received a special invitation about 10 days earlier. Clear directions stated the visitor needed to bring the invitation and show their credit card before entering.
Since that invitation was critical, it was placed in a safe place until the special date, which was July 23, two days prior to the grand opening for the general public. That afternoon, the anticipated trip was taken. They must have expected heavy traffic. Law enforcement was stationed in the parking lot. Two staff members were at the door to make sure no unauthorized people were allowed to enter. We saw people turned away.
Once inside, the smell was one of newness. The store was well-staffed. There was a Bargain Cave. It was a gathering of a unique club. All of the customers in the store had their name on a Cabela’s credit card. Although perhaps that is really not an exclusive club, it was great to be there before the less fortunate general public burst through the doors. We ran into a number of people we knew and now can count as fellow members in the club.
We don’t know how far people may have come to this special event. Perhaps a few came all the way from Waseca, Minn., because they missed the smell of leather and gun oil.
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