PRADCO celebrates Bass Pro Shops opening with in-store custom lure launch

PRADCO Fishing has launched its first-ever custom lure shop in a major retail store with the opening of a Bass Pro Shops in its home city.

Bass Pro Shops founder, Johnny Morris, asked PRADCO to do something special in the Fort Smith, Western Arkansas, store – its home since 1962 when George Perrin founded the Rebel Lure Company, the flagship brand of the Plastics Research and Development Company (PRADCO).

The team at PRADCO (above), led by VP of Brand Management, Chad Warner, developed the idea to use a digital printer to customise lure blanks from famous brands in the store. PRADCO will staff the outlet with a full-time employee during all business hours. The lure choices include famous shapes such as the Heddon Super Spook and Original Zara Spook, Rebel Pop-R, Cotton Cordell Super Spot and Big O, BOOYAH Hard Knocker and One Knocker, Bandit 100 and Bomber Flat A.

Any consumer can come into the Custom Lure Shop at the Fort Smith Bass Pro Shops outlet and purchase one of these lures at normal price and pay a $3 charge to have a personal message, signature, name or anything else printed on both sides of each lure. The consumer can choose from a menu of fonts and colours before seeing their lure printed in the store.

“This is definitely an elevated experience for the Bass Pro Shops consumer,” said Bruce Stanton, Vice President and General Manager of PRADCO Fishing. “When Johnny asked us to partner with Bass Pro Shops in this store, we jumped at the opportunity to give a special opportunity to store-goers.”

PRADCO Fishing also has a 400-square-foot store-within-a-store that features all of its famous brands and lures and also a timeline of its acquisitions over the years.

“There are things that you can only see in this Bass Pro Shops that you can’t see anywhere else,” Stanton said. “This is a big reason for consumers to make a visit to this store.”

Fort Smith businessman Bennie Westphal (above left), who brokered the real estate deal to bring Bass Pro Shops to Fort Smith, purchased the first custom lure during “Friends and Family Night” earlier this month. The former Arkansas Razorback football player said he can’t wait to cast his custom Super Spook with his name on it!