The news spread quickly in March 2003.
Something called the “Fort Henry Business and Industrial Centre” would be constructed near Dallas Pike on 500 acres of land that once served as the “gob pile” for the former Valley Camp Coal Mine that closed down in 1972.
The development, which later was dubbed “The Highlands,” would be anchored by a monstrosity of something of a sporting goods store known as the “World’s Foremost Outfitter.” Cabela’s, initially a family-owned operation thanks to brothers Dick and Jim and their love for the outdoors, would be a 175,000-square-foot retail store that would attract millions to the new retail area along Interstate 70.
And that’s exactly what Cabela’s has been since the operation opened on August 12, 2004.
“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 20 years, that’s for sure,” acknowledged store administrator Gina Haney. “I’ve been here since Cabela’s opened, and to be honest, I have no idea what I’d be doing if I didn’t come here 20 years ago.
“We have so many people who walk through our doors because they’re traveling by on I-70, but it’s been our local residents who have kept us open for those 20 years,” she said. “This area is perfect for our store because we love the outdoors here. That’s why, when I heard Cabela’s was coming to Ohio County, I knew I had to be involved. And here I am, 20 years later, and I hope the whole community comes to see us for our big birthday party on August 10th.”
The retailer will host the Noon-to-8 p.m. celebration in partnership with the Ohio County Commission and the Ohio County Development Authority, and the party will include more than 60 vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, a “Meet and Greet the Safety Fleet” with the Benwood Fire Department, fingerprinting with the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and a Cabela’s Customer Appreciation Cookout between 3-5 p.m.
At dusk, the anniversary will conclude with an impressive fireworks display.
“We hope a lot of our neighbors come to our birthday party on August 10th,” she said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun that day with the vendors, all the food, the live music, and everything else, and we hope our local patrons come to see us for the celebration because they’re the ones who made it happen.”
“The Highlands” now is home to more than 30 stores, 25 restaurants, seven hotels, 27 service-related businesses, four industrial operations, two automotive sales groups, Valley Harley Davidson, The Highlands Sports Complex, and Marquee Cinemas, and more than 1,000 individuals are employed on the hilltop every day.
It is the finished product of multiple land acquisitions, a $35 million state economic development grant, state tax credits, a $60 million tax increment financing plan, and the construction of a $12 million interstate interchange. The Highlands, now a 1,000-acre development, began with the purchase of 471 acres for $450,000 in the late 1990s.
And the first tenant was Cabela’s.
“It’s been a lot of fun watching The Highlands grow through the years, and it’s become exactly what it was supposed to be with all of the stores, restaurants, and everything else. We have our distribution center here and there are doctor’s offices, car dealerships, and so many other businesses,” she said. “That’s why it’s going to be a great party.”
Made with Love (and something secret, too)
She was one of nine people hired for the Cabela’s fudge factory at The Highlands.
That’s when the mega-store at The Highlands became the company’s 10th store, but these days there are 65 locations in 33 states and, according to Haney, some are close to the same size while others are much smaller. Plus, Bass Pro Shops purchased all 82 Cabela’s stores in 2016 for $4.5 billion, and now the company operates more than 170 locations.
“My career with Cabela’s started on June 28, 2004, and, yes, I was full-time in the fudge shop,” Haney recalled. “The customers just wouldn’t stop coming for our fudge. We still sell a good bit, but I was amazed when we first opened. The lines were through the store to the door.
“Since then, I’ve been an assistant sales manager, I’ve worked on the operations side, and I have been some kind of administrator the past several years,” she explained. “These days after 20 years, I’m the office administrator, and I do employee orientations, too.”
Is that it?
“Well,” Haney grinned, “I do still make the fudge, but I’ll never give up the recipe.”
Her career at Cabela’s just made sense to her when initially hearing about the development’s first anchor store, but not because she wanted the employee discount on camo clothing.
“I came to Cabela’s because it was something new and exciting and definitely different,” Haney explained. “My husband loves to hunt and fish, so we knew about Cabela’s and had seen their catalogs. There was a lot of excitement around the area when it was announced, and that’s when I decided I wanted to work here.
“I don’t hunt, and I don’t fish, but I love the outdoors and I love the water and I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” she said. “I do love it here because of the people who work here, and we’re all like-minded about appreciating the outdoors and wanting to get kids involved with the outdoors. We want to keep that interest going because it’s an exciting place to work. And it’s home.”
While Haney refused to divulge the company’s confidential fudge recipe, she leaked Cabela’s secret to success at The Highlands location.
“The outdoors is a passion for people; an absolute passion,” she said. “People love the outdoors. They love to hunt, they love to fish, and they love to camp as often as possible. If you are one of those people, you only need to come here to get what you need. We literally have everything a person needs to do anything outdoors.
“We have all of the camping equipment in that department, and that area of the store is fascinating to visit because there’s just so much there,” she added. “As far as hunting, fishing, and firearms, Cabela’s is the place you need to be.”
