How a Shelf in a Liquor Store Sparked the Bass Pro Shops Empire: The Story of Johnny Morris

Today, Bass Pro Shops is one of America’s most iconic retail brands — synonymous with fishing, hunting, camping, and outdoor adventures. Its sprawling stores are virtual theme parks, complete with giant aquariums, indoor forests, and waterfalls. But few people know the real story: it all began in the early 1970s with a young fisherman’s frustration and an eight-foot section of a liquor store.

A Young Angler with a Vision

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Johnny Morris was like many young men in Springfield, Missouri — he loved to fish. But during his frequent trips around the Ozarks, Morris noticed a recurring problem: it was hard to find specialized fishing tackle locally. Most stores only stocked the basics — generic lures, cheap rods, and little expert advice. Serious fishermen had to know someone who “had the good stuff” or drive hours to specialty shops.

Johnny saw a gap. A passionate outdoorsman himself, he imagined a place where people could not only buy premium gear but also learn, share, and immerse themselves in the fishing lifestyle.

At just 24 years old, Johnny decided to start small. He didn’t have investors, a big store, or even a business plan — but he had determination, a deep knowledge of fishing, and a spot he could use: the Brown Derby, a liquor store owned by his father, John A. Morris. In 1972, Johnny set up a small display of high-quality fishing lures and equipment, occupying just eight feet of retail space.

He called it “Bass Pro Shops.”

The name reflected his audience perfectly — the serious bass fishermen who were traveling further and further to find the best tackle.

Innovation from the Beginning

Johnny Morris wasn’t just selling products — he was curating them. He personally selected gear that wasn’t widely available locally, sourced high-quality equipment, and often used items he had personally tested. Unlike the big box retailers of the time, Johnny emphasized specialization and expertise over mass market appeal.

He also understood that fishermen loved stories. Word of mouth spread quickly, and fishermen passing through Springfield began visiting the tiny section of the liquor store just to see what Johnny had found next.

Seeing the strong demand, Johnny took another step: he created a mail-order catalog in 1974. At the time, mail-order was a booming business model for niche markets, and Johnny’s idea was simple: deliver high-end fishing gear to the doorsteps of outdoorsmen everywhere. The first Bass Pro Shops catalog was modest — a few black-and-white pages — but it unleashed something powerful. Orders started flowing in from across the United States.

Growth and the First Store

By the late 1970s, it was clear that the Brown Derby could no longer contain Johnny’s ambition. He envisioned a full-fledged store — not just a shop where you bought gear, but a destination where you could experience the outdoors indoors.

In 1981, the first Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World opened in Springfield. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen: a massive space filled with lifelike wildlife displays, huge aquariums stocked with native fish, waterfalls, and immersive dioramas. Customers weren’t just shopping; they were walking into a celebration of outdoor life.

The Springfield store became an immediate pilgrimage site for outdoor enthusiasts. People drove for hours — even days — to visit. Families came not just to buy, but to experience: to watch fish swim in a tank, to gaze at mounted elk and bears, to feel the call of the wild.

Johnny had tapped into something primal: the outdoor spirit of America.

Expanding the Empire

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Bass Pro Shops expanded strategically. Morris was careful not to grow too fast — he believed in quality over quantity. Each store was tailored to its environment, often highlighting local wildlife and ecosystems, a principle that remains true today.

Bass Pro Shops also expanded beyond retail stores into larger ventures:

Big Cedar Lodge, a luxury wilderness resort near the Ozarks, opened in the late 1980s. It offered fishing, hiking, and outdoor activities, all wrapped in rustic elegance.

The company later founded the White River Marine Group, manufacturing and selling some of the best-known brands of fishing and recreational boats.

Bass Pro Shops also became heavily involved in conservation, partnering with the National Wildlife Federation and other organizations. Johnny Morris personally donated millions toward preserving habitat, promoting sustainable fishing, and inspiring a love for nature among young people.


In 2017, Bass Pro Shops made headlines again when it acquired its chief competitor, Cabela’s, in a $5.5 billion deal — creating a true outdoor superpower while maintaining both brands’ identities.

Johnny Morris’s Philosophy

At the heart of it all remains Johnny Morris’s guiding philosophy:

> “We all need nature. We all need outdoor adventure.”



Morris never saw Bass Pro Shops as just a store; he saw it as a means to bring people closer to the natural world. Every mounted fish, every nature trail outside a store, every conservation project Bass Pro supports — all of it stems from Morris’s original vision: to inspire people to love the outdoors.

And remarkably, Johnny Morris remains deeply involved with the company today. Despite his massive success, he’s still known to spend time testing new fishing gear, speaking with customers, and quietly funding conservation initiatives across the country.

Legacy

From an eight-foot shelf to a sprawling empire influencing millions of outdoor enthusiasts, the story of Bass Pro Shops is a testament to the power of passion, authenticity, and a deep understanding of community.

In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops stand as a reminder: sometimes, the biggest dreams start in the smallest places.