Bass Pro Shops is planning a new 110,000-square-foot Outdoor World store on Broad River Road in Irmo, bringing the retail giant's outdoor gear and fishing tackle to the Columbia region for the first time. The store is expected to open in late 2027 and would mark the company's fourth South Carolina location, according to Bass Pro Shops' own announcement.
The Irmo store would be a first for the greater Columbia area, according to Bass Pro Shops, joining existing South Carolina locations in Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Rock Hill, as postandcourier.com reports. The new store sits about three miles from Lake Murray, a detail the company has highlighted as central to its pitch for the location. As thestate.com notes, the company says it will bring a new 110,000-square-foot store to Broad River Road in Irmo.
Hiring figures reported for the new store differ slightly depending on the source. The State reports the Columbia area location will employ 120 people, while the Post and Courier reports the store is expected to employ more than 120 people. Bass Pro Shops' own announcement states that the Columbia location is expected to employ more than 120 outfitters, with employment information set to be posted at basspro.com/careers when available.
A Property Deal Near the I-26 Interchange
Property records tied to the project also show some variation in the reported numbers. The State reports that Bass Pro Outdoor World LLC purchased several pieces of property totaling about 20 acres near Broad River Road and Interstate 26, while the Post and Courier's reporting puts the figure at five plots of land totaling just over 19 acres, purchased in March at the Interstate 26 and Broad River Road interchange. The land is currently zoned for light manufacturing uses, per the same Post and Courier account.
The site falls within a corridor already seeing real estate activity. Nearby, Ballentine Crossing is a master-planned development at Broad River Road and Ballentine Crossing Lane near the Peak Interchange on Interstate 26, according to colliers.com. That development spans roughly 40 acres and includes an indoor adventure park, a Dominion Energy office and a 315-unit apartment complex, the listing states.
Lake Murray's Pull for Anglers
Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris framed the Irmo project around the region's fishing culture, saying it is a true honor for us to serve the sportsmen and women, according to the company's announcement carried by thestate.com. Bass Pro Shops says each Outdoor World location is designed as a tribute to the region it serves, and the Columbia store's proximity to Lake Murray appears to be central to that pitch.
The lake has built a reputation among anglers well beyond South Carolina. In 2025, Field & Stream ranked Lake Murray No. 2 among the Best Winter Bass Lakes, the postandcourier.com fishing feature notes, and Bassmaster ranked it No. 6 among the Best Bass Lakes in the United States in 2024. The lake hosted 11 fishing tournaments in 2025, with two more scheduled for 2026, and has hosted major competitions since 1995, including Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour events, per the same report.
Traffic and Road Work on Broad River Road
Traffic counts for the Broad River Road corridor also vary between reports. The Post and Courier states that over 13,000 vehicles passed through that stretch of Broad River Road per day on average in 2025, while thestate.com, citing South Carolina Department of Transportation data, reports an estimated 21,400 vehicles on average drive on this stretch of Broad River Road each day.
The road is already the site of a major infrastructure project. Richland County has begun work to widen a 3.2-mile stretch of Broad River Road from two lanes to five between Dutch Fork Road and Royal Tower Drive, according to thestate.com's traffic coverage, with construction expected to end around February 2029.
A Growing National Footprint
Bass Pro Shops traces its roots to 1972, when Johnny Morris began selling fishing tackle from his father's liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, according to the company's announcement. The retailer has since grown to nearly 200 locations throughout North America and united with Cabela's in 2017 to form a combined outdoor retail brand. The company also operates White River Marine Group and Big Cedar Lodge, and says it has donated more than 10 percent of its earnings to conservation efforts over the past decade.
Newsweek has recognized Bass Pro Shops as one of America's most admired workplaces and named it America's most trusted outdoor retailer for the fifth consecutive year in January 2026, per the company's release. Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's also operate an Outdoor Fund that invites customers to round up purchases at registers and online to support conservation programs, while the company's Legendary Salute program offers a 10 percent discount to veterans, active military, law enforcement, firefighters and state fish and wildlife agency employees.
