Lew’s retail store opens at new $3.5M HQ

A week after it opened to customers, the retail side of Lew's Fishing Tackle is scheduled for a ribbon-cutting tomorrow at its parent company’s new $3.5 million headquarters.

The 11 a.m. event at 3031 N. Martin Ave. marks the ceremonial opening for Sportsmans Factory Outlet, which launched at the new location Sept. 2. Spokesman Gary Dollahon said city and Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce representatives would be on hand for the ribbon-cutting of the 4,000-square-foot store, located just north of Partnership Industrial Center. National professional anglers David Fritts, Mark Rose, Guido Hibdon and Dion Hibdon also are scheduled to be in attendance.

Do Outdoors Inc., the parent of Lew’s and Sportsmans, broke ground on the 58,000-square-foot headquarters last October. Lew’s, which takes up 54,000 square feet of the center, opened its offices and warehouse two weeks ago, Dollahon said.

"It's always nice to be able to design a facility according to your specific needs of operation, and we're fortunate to have been able to do exactly that with our new home," Lew's CEO Lynn Reeves said in a news release.

Morelock-Ross Builders Inc. served as general contractor for the project, which also will house a fishing history museum with artifacts from Lew’s and other companies, Dollahon said. He noted the 1,000-square-foot museum is slated to open within 60 days.

Reeves has said the company purchased the 4.75-acre site from Bob Wehr for $550,000. Previously occupying 20,000 square feet at 2253 E. Bennett St., Lew’s sells fishing rods and reels to such retailers as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Academy Sports, Cabela’s Inc. and Dick’s Sporting Goods.