Eric Clements will lead a team of more than 200 when the store opens in April.
Atlantic City Bass Pro Shops Outpost general manager Eric Clements is an avid sportsman and looks forward to helping others gear up for their outdoor adventures.
Clements, who will lead a staff of 225 associates at the 85,450-square-foot Outpost store, believes Atlantic City is a great place for the Bass Pro Shops Outpost.
“There’s a tremendous amount of energy for change and rebirth in Atlantic City,” said Clements. “City leaders have taken important first steps to revitalize the economy here with improved infrastructure, a sense of purpose, and great local leadership. Underlying everything is the fact that this area has so much to offer visitors—a world-class saltwater fishery; a highly diverse waterfowl flyway; great hunting and freshwater fishing; and miles of beautiful beaches.”
The Bass Pro Shops Atlantic City store will reflect the state’s local wildlife and rich diversity of habitats including forests, lakes, rivers, bays, estuaries, and sea coast. Store features include hand-painted murals, museum-quality fish and wildlife mounts, a 13,000-gallon freshwater aquarium, and other tributes to south Jersey’s outdoor heritage.
In addition, the Bass Pro Shops Outpost in Atlantic City will offer an incredible array of fishing and boating equipment that’s specific to the region as well as hunting, camping, outdoor cooking gear, outdoor apparel and footwear, and nature-themed gifts.
“While originally known for our leadership in fishing and boating, Bass Pro Shops is also the industry leader in camping, hiking, paddle sports, hunting, and outdoor apparel,” said Clements. “We carry all the top industry brands such as RedHead, Ascend, Oculus, Columbia, Browning, Under Armour, and hundreds more. We offer customers an amazing assortment of high-quality gear and at great prices, too.”
Another important element included in the Bass Pro Shops Outpost store is the boat showroom. In 1978, Johnny Morris introduced Bass Tracker, the first boat, motor, and trailer package designed just for anglers. For the last 36 years, Tracker has remained a leading manufacturer of boats for fishing and cruising.
“In our Atlantic City store, we’ll offer Mako saltwater boats, Nitro high performance fishing boats, Sun Tracker and Regency pontoon boats, Tahoe pleasure boats, and of course, our Tracker fishing boats,” said Clements. The fact that we manufacture, sell, and service our own boats enables us provide great value and service for our customers."
Clements, who enjoys sailing, saltwater fishing and scuba diving with his family, has a passion for the outdoors that he wants to share with others.
“New Jersey continues to actively uphold the outdoor experience, with over 347,000 acres in designated wildlife areas managed by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife,” said Clements. “More than 2.7 million New Jersey residents report that they participate in wildlife-associated recreation. That’s our audience, along with the millions of people who visit Atlantic City from other states.”
Clements also said he believes Bass Pro Shops commitment to conservation, outdoor education and equipping the next generation of sportsmen and women sets the company apart. Bass Pro Shops demonstrates its support for managing wildlife and their habitats by hosting a special Evening for Conservation. The event, which will kick off the Atlantic City Outpost’s grand opening, highlights the important work done by local conservation groups and helps them raise money. For every dollar spent during the Evening for Conservation, 50 cents will be donated to a designated group. In addition, the free event will feature celebrities, entertainment and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Information regarding the Evening for Conservation will be available at a later date.
“Customers come to Bass Pro Shops for the best of everything—product selection, prices, world class customer service and the fun, outdoorsy experience our stores offer,” Clements said. “Plus, our staff of local outdoor experts is prepared to help everyone – from beginners to experienced outdoorsmen and women – get the advice, information and training they want to enjoy the outdoors. We’ll offer a variety of free outdoor skills workshops throughout the year for adults, kids and families.
“This might mean teaching a fly casting seminar, hosting a boating safety class, demonstrating how to rig for stripers, or taking an hour to fit a new archer for a bow. I am looking forward to helping area youth and adults get involved in outdoor activities and inspiring them to pass that love of the outdoors to the next generation.”
Nationally, Bass Pro Shops will host more than 120 million people visiting their 90 stores and marine centers across America and Canada this year. The average customer stays 2 ½ hours and drives an average distance of 50+ miles. Bass Pro Shops was named by Advertising Age magazine as one of the Top 10 Hottest Brands in America along with name brands such as Old Spice, M&M’s, iPad and Droid. Also, Bass Pro Shops has been recognized numerous times for their conservation and outdoor education efforts. Photo Caption: Atlantic City Bass Pro Shops Outpost general manager Eric Clements is an avid sportsman and looks forward to helping others gear up for their outdoor adventures. He promises that shopping at the Atlantic City Bass Pro Shops store will get everyone fired up to fish, hunt, hike, camp, paddle and more!
About Bass Pro Shops® Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 90 stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group® , a leading brand of fishing boats for more than 36 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big Cedar Lodge® , voted number six by Travel + Leisure Magazine as World’s Best Hotels for Families.
By: Katie Mitchell, Bass Pro Shops
