Mary Cabela, the widow of Cabela’s founder Dick Cabela, said in a letter to Cabela’s employees earlier this month that she supports the sale of the company to Bass Pro Shops.
“Even after Dick’s death, our family continues to trust the people at Cabela’s to do what is best for the company and everyone involved. Though we were not involved in any of the merger discussions, we trust that the Cabela’s leadership has done their jobs to the best of their abilities,” she wrote.
Dick Cabela, who founded the retailer in 1961, passed away in February 2014.
Cabela’s made the letter public in a securities filing Tuesday.
The full letter reads as follows:
October 11, 2016
Dear Cabela’s Outfitters,
Our family would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of the people who have been a part of Cabela’s over the years. The employees and customers mean more to us than we can ever say. Together, we have experienced Dick’s humble vision become something much more than a simple business venture.
From the very first person we hired back in the early sixties, my husband, Dick Cabela, believed in surrounding himself with smart and talented people and then letting them do their jobs. That philosophy allowed Cabela’s to become what it is.
Even after Dick’s death, our family continues to trust the people at Cabela’s to do what is best for the company and everyone involved. Though we were not involved in any of the merger discussions, we trust that the Cabela’s leadership has done their jobs to the best of their abilities.
We also have the utmost respect for Johnny Morris and the good people at Bass Pro Shops. We believe their employees, their customers, and their leadership are very similar to those at Cabela’s. Outdoor enthusiasts have always been a tight-knit group of people with similar passions and values and we hope and pray that this merger between two of the outdoor community’s most respected companies will only further enhance the lives of all people who love the outdoors.
Some of the finest people in the world are part of Cabela’s and that gives us optimism for the future. Dick truly believed in surrounding himself with the best people and that ideal is alive and well at all levels of the company. We trust in all Cabela’s associates.
May God bless you all,
Mary Cabela and family
