Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, announces new mega adventure store to serve greater San Diego region
New destination retail location in La Mesa will serve outdoor enthusiasts with wide assortment of quality gear at low prices, backed by genuine, friendly expert service
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (July 1, 2026) – Bass Pro Shops announced plans today for a new destination retail location in La Mesa to serve the greater San Diego region.
Bass Pro Shops’ newest California location will build on the company’s reputation of delivering the widest selection of quality products at the best prices around, while providing the genuine, friendly expert service that the brand is known for.
“It’s exciting to serve the great anglers and outdoor enthusiasts throughout the San Diego region,” said Johnny Morris, legendary angler, noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder. “With access to both saltwater and freshwater fishing, this area offers something truly special, and we look forward to helping families and friends enjoy it together.”
The new 148,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops will be located at Grossmont Center, with convenient access from the intersection of State Route 125 and Interstate 8. The store is expected to open in 2028.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bass Pro Shops to La Mesa and excited that they have chosen Grossmont Center as the home for their newest location,” said Mayor Mark Arapostathis. “This announcement is another exciting milestone in the ongoing transformation of Grossmont Center. Bass Pro Shops will bring new jobs, attract visitors from throughout the region, and further strengthen our local economy. We look forward to the positive impact this investment will have on our community for years to come.”
Bass Pro Shops has been serving outdoor enthusiasts in California since 2007, and the La Mesa location will be the sixth in the state.
“Bass Pro Shops is exactly the kind of destination retailer that brings people together,” said Jon Stoeckly, Vice President of Regional Development for Federal Realty. “Their commitment to outdoor recreation, family experiences, and community aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of Grossmont Center. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to La Mesa.”
Experiential retail destination with immersive outdoor features
The new Bass Pro Shops store will feature a completely unique custom design inspired by the region’s outdoor heritage. The design will build on the signature qualities that define their award‑winning experience, combining retail with entertainment, outdoor education and conservation.
In addition to providing customers with a vast assortment of the outdoor products they love, a team of talented artists and craftsmen will design the store’s localized imagery to emphasize its immersive outdoor theme. The signature creativity and attention to detail are hallmarks of every experience from Johnny Morris, who often is referred to as “The Walt Disney of the Outdoors” for his knack of creating experiences that connect people with nature.
Johnny Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972, in an 8-square-foot space in his Dad’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. Since then, it has blazed a new trail in the retail experience for outdoor enthusiasts across North America. As millions of families know, a trip to a Bass Pro Shops is more than a retail experience; it’s an adventure, a mini-vacation, a celebration of nature and an educational and enriching outing for the entire family.
People leave a Bass Pro Shops store with more than a bag of outdoor gear. They leave with a smile, a greater appreciation for nature and a dream of spending more time fishing, hunting, camping and hiking.
Proudly standing alongside customers to support conservation
Conservation forms the heart and soul of Bass Pro Shops and is an ethic that dates to the earliest days of the company. Alongside the customers they serve, Bass Pro Shops over the past decade has proudly donated more than 10% of earnings to support conservation efforts in local communities and across North America.
At each of the company’s 182 locations throughout North America, customers are invited to “round up” at the register and online through the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund to join the cause and advance programs aimed at conserving habitat and wildlife, advocating for sportsmen’s rights and connecting new audiences to the outdoors.
10% discount every day to honor those on the front lines
The Bass Pro Shops Legendary Salute Program honors veterans, active military, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and state fish and wildlife agency employees, with a 10% discount on almost everything in all Bass Pro Shops locations in the United States and Canada.
This program honors those who have or are currently serving on the front lines in California and throughout the country who defend our freedoms, including our opportunities to hunt, fish and spend time in the great outdoors.
Nationally recognized for excellence
Bass Pro Shops consistently earns recognition from prestigious national media outlets, including:
- In January 2026, Bass Pro Shops was named “America’s Most Trusted Outdoor Retailer” for the fifth consecutive year.
- For the fourth consecutive year in 2025, Bass Pro Shops was voted the leading outdoor retailer on Newsweek’s “America’s Best Retailers” list.
- Newsweek recently recognized Bass Pro Shops as one of “America’s Most Admired Workplaces.”
- In recent years, Forbes named Bass Pro Shops one of “America’s Best Employers” as part of a nationwide survey of 500 large firms.
At the new La Mesa location, Bass Pro Shops is expected to employ more than 150 Outfitters eager to serve customers and their pursuits in the great outdoors. Employment information, when available, will be posted at basspro.com/careers.
Click here to watch a special movie about Bass Pro Shops
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About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris started selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. That was the company’s sole location for the first 13 years, and it has since grown to nearly 200 retail locations throughout North America. Today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Newsweek as “America’s Best Outdoor Retailer” for four consecutive years and “America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear.”
Media Contact:
Bass Pro Communications
[email protected]
417-873-4567
