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Cabela’s eyes Hooksett for site of super-store
By MATTHEW CALL
Union Leader Correspondent
18 hours, 10 minutes ago

Hooksett — A national hunting, fishing and outdoor gear supplier is planning a major retail development at Interstate 93’s Exit 11 that is expected to draw customers from across New England.

“New Hampshire has a lot of participators in the outdoors, and we recognize that,” said Ed Eckman, site evaluation manager for Cabela’s, a catalog and store retailer with the trademark “World’s Foremost Outfitter.”

Cabela’s hopes to build a store on Route 3A just south of the I-93 Hooksett toll booth. The company is negotiating to buy 54 acres at 350 West River Road, most recently under the control of the Palazzi Corp. The parcel is assessed by the town at $1.08 million.

The Cabela’s business model is identical to that of L.L. Bean on a larger scale: Internet and catalog sales combined with limited store locations. The Sidney, Neb.-based chain has 14 retail stores, including a 250,000-square-foot store in Hamburg, Pa., and another in Fort Worth, Texas, that covers 230,000 square feet.

The store made a pitch to Hooksett town councilors in a closed session for a special town meeting to create a tax increment financing district aimed at paying for improvements to the site, which is across from the Tri-Town Ice Arena. All or part of property taxes from new buildings in the designated TIF area may be used to pay for the improvements.

The TIF district is needed for road and sewer upgrades as well as pre-excavation work, Eckman said. The company is pushing for a voting session before Hooksett’s regular town meeting, scheduled for May.

The town created a TIF zone at a town meeting in 2001 that channeled $2.6 million into an area now populated by Target, Kohl’s, Home Depot, Staples and BJ’s off Exit 10.

Hooksett’s town attorney is drafting a timetable for the special town meeting, which has not yet been scheduled, according to Town Manager David Jodoin.

The Hooksett store most likely will be 120,000 to 140,000 square feet, according to Eckman. Typical Cabela’s setups include aquariums and taxidermy displays.

“They see this as a real tourist destination,” Jodoin said.

The site also could hold up to three more businesses such as a hotel or restaurant, Jodoin added.

“It’ll bring in business 150 miles away,” said Michael Bergeron of the state’s Department of Resources and Economic Development. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for Hooksett and the state.”

The Hooksett Cabela’s would not be the largest retailer in town if local planners approve a proposed 224,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter on Route 3.

NUTS That means the Mk 262 seconds will be split up among that many more stores.

j/k congrats, I love that store!

I hope they don't put Riley's out of business.  I have bought 99% of all my stuff from Riley's over the years....

Nice...sort of. I know this could give the local gunshops and sporting goods stores a hard time. Itll be interesting to see how KTP and Beans do w/ it. NH isnt a big hunting destination though and Im sure it was chosen b/c theres no sales tax and its *very* business friendly.

Quoted: I hope they don't put Riley's out of business.  I have bought 99% of all my stuff from Riley's over the years....

I was wondering about that myself. I suspect though theyll be OK as they dont rely completely on civilian sales.

Omaha too.

Quoted: I hope they don't put Riley's out of business.  I have bought 99% of all my stuff from Riley's over the years....

I was just in there for the first time last week.  It's an interesting place & good prices but the set up and layout is fugazzi.

The cop shop in the rear was pretty sparse, but the guys there were very nice to chat with.