When most of us think about sportsmen’s megastores a few names come easily to mind. As with all brands and retailers, some of us will swear by the products of one or the other. However, in all fairness, I have come across a funny coincidence of two men named Dick and how they are important to hunters today.
Most people in the United States and especially in Maryland have heard of, seen, or visited a Dick’s Sporting Goods store. They have grown to become one of the leading sports retailers and include a variety clothing, equipment, services, bows, firearms, and just about everything else that a hunter could want either in the store or from their online warehouse. Not surprisingly, Dick’s is named after its founder Dick Stack. Dick established his chain in 1948 with 300$ of startup funds given to him by his grandmother. Also not surprising is the fact that this story is affectionately known as the “cookie jar” story to some. Nevertheless, the original small bait shop from a small town in New York has grown to become a household name among athletes and sportsmen alike.
The next fun fact is based off the outdoor retailer, Cabelas. Cabelas is known for their quality hunting, fishing, and camping gear. While large Cabelas stores do exist, there is only a select few and most of us shop via catalog or the web. Nevertheless, Cabelas has made a name for themselves among sportsmen for providing not only everything a hunter could need, but also high quality clothing and equipment.
Recently, my husband and I received our newest Cabelas catalog and I noticed that Cabelas was established by another man named…..you guessed it, named Dick. Dick Cabela started his empire in 1961 as a small business selling fishing flies via mail order. Dick’s humble beginning has expanded into the company that we all know and trust today.
So the moral of the story…there is none, this is purely a fun fact post. However, I thought it to be a worthy coincidence that both companies started out by selling tackle, both by strong men named Dick. I think it is not the name that made each man successful, but perhaps some of the great character that is built from spending hours in the woods. The great fact is that they were sportsmen first and businessmen second, they found a way to make a living off of something that they are passionate about.
