SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A replica of a vintage 1972 sign is once again standing outside the original Bass Pro Shops location on South Campbell Avenue in Springfield, welcoming store leaders back to where the outdoor retail giant began.
The sign, recently reinstalled by Bass Pro Shops ahead of this week’s gathering of General Managers in Springfield, pays tribute to the company’s roots and the first store founded by conservationist and businessman Johnny Morris. More video of the location can be seen at the top of this story.
The retro-style display sits near the company’s original South Campbell location, where Morris launched Bass Pro Shops in 1972 from the back of his father’s liquor store. What started as an 8-square-foot tackle shop selling fishing gear has since grown into one of the world’s largest outdoor recreation retailers…