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Bowling alley?
Welcome to Bass Pro Shops of Bridgeport, a long-awaited mecca for all things outdoors that will be opening its doors with much fanfare Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“We’re very excited,” General Manager Loretta Mercado said as she watched workers put the final touches on the camo-covered wonderland at 1 Bass Pro Drive, just off East Main Street and I-95. “We’re going to bring the traffic back to this area. You couldn’t ask for a better location.”
Judging from past Bass Pro grand openings, Mercado said she expects anywhere from 3,000 to 15,000 people to converge on the store Wednesday evening. Billed as an Evening of Conservation, it’s a fundraiser with 50 cents of every dollar spent going to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources and America’s Wildlife Museum & Aquarium.
Several sports, hunting and fishing celebrities will be on hand, including two-time World Series champion Johnny Damon, Capt. Bill “Hollywood” Muniz of TV”s “Wicked Tuna,” nine-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year Roland Martin and Theresa Vail, host of Outdoor Channel’s “Limitless With Theresa Vail.”
Strolling through the cavernous store Tuesday morning, Mercado pointed out the murals of Connecticut scenes created by artists from as far as Las Vegas and Alaska. A rear wall boasts a large aquarium, where children can learn more about the fish during public feedings throughout the week. Taxidermy of bears, deer, geese and turkeys bring the handmade habitats around the store to life, including the replica of Buoy 18, a popular Long Island Sound fishing spot.
Hundreds of fishing rods stand ready for customers, who can also purchase guns, boats and camouflage sheets as well as recliners.
Hungry visitors may also stop in at Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl, an attached restaurant with a grill menu and several bowling lanes set in a marine atmosphere. Or they can stop across the street where Bridgeport’s first Chipotle and Starbucks locations opened recently.
Bass Pro has hired nearly 400 employees at its first Connecticut location, Mercado said.
“A lot of time and effort has gone into this,” she said. “We’re very proud.”
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