Tulsa Scheels offers a preview of the store under construction

The group was the first to look inside the new addition at Woodland Hills Mall. With a half-built 65-foot-tall Ferris wheel, hidden fish in the store’s aquarium and a mini-bowling alley, Scheels is about to open its 34th location in the country.

Before walking through the construction site, guests were greeted at the Union High School Performing Arts Center. As they found their seats in the auditorium, Peter Philippi, Scheel’s Tulsa store leader, began a half-hour presentation, telling the story of Scheels, the concept behind the stores and the features the Tulsa location will have. The talk was followed by a virtual tour of one of the Scheels stores and questions from community members, and ended with safety drills before entering the nearby construction zone.

“The first thing is how grateful and excited we are to be in Tulsa, with such a wonderful family-focused community and a sports hub,” Philippi said. “The community is incredibly philanthropic and we believe in giving back.”

As the group walked through the 240,000-square-foot store, the tour guide pointed out each area: a fishing center, athletic shoes, water sports, toys, a golf shop, a firearms shop and a bicycle shop and services are some of them. its characteristics.

The aim is to have something to appeal to every audience, so Scheels also has a home goods area, a wildlife mountain, a cafe and the Fuzziwig Candy Factory, which is strategically located next to the children’s area.

Scheels is expected to employ more than 500 people, and several positions, such as part-time crew, merchandising employees and backstage support staff, are still open. Philippi added that 10,000 people are expected to visit the store on opening day.

“We want to make sure people are excited to be operated by our employee owners because that’s a great source of pride for us,” Philippi said.

Frederick A. Scheel opened the first store in 1902 after saving $300 from harvesting three acres of potatoes. He used the money as a down payment for a small hardware and general store in Sabin, Minnesota. The shop slowly grew to what it is today, 122 years later.

“The amazing growth we’ve experienced in our history isn’t just about store size,” Philippi said. “Ultimately, there was a shift from just a transactional place to a destination and a place that people needed to have a complete experience.”