TRIADELPHIA — More than two decades ago, Ohio County officials cast a line to attract a fishing, hunting and outdoor goods retailer to a property on Dallas Pike. They landed a big catch that gave the area an economic boost and made it an attractive location.
Cabela’s celebrated its 20th anniversary at The Highlands on Saturday, with the community participating in numerous events throughout the day. The store officially opened on August 12, 2004.
There were food trucks, face painting, and Ohio County Sheriff’s Office officers on site to fingerprint children for safety. Air rifle and archery ranges were also set up on site.
The celebration commemorates Cabela’s status as the first business to open in the Ohio County-owned Fort Henry Business and Industrial Center, later renamed “The Highlands.” With the store came a regional distribution center, also located at the facility.
Walmart would follow, as would a chain of other tenants representing retail, dining, entertainment, sports and medical interests.
Mike Boldrick came from Michigan to accept the general manager position and open the Cabela’s in Ohio County in August 2004. By that time, he had already worked for Cabela’s for three years and managed the store in The Highlands until his retirement 13 years later.
He then went into business for himself and opened Jimmy John’s restaurant on the opposite side of Cabela’s Drive from his former employer.
“Cabela’s was definitely the driving force behind development in The Highlands,” Boldrick said. “It started to attract other retailers to the area.”
The Cabela’s store in The Highlands “has been doing great since the beginning,” he continued.
“It was popular,” he said. “Wherever Cabela’s opens a store, it usually becomes the biggest tourist attraction in the state.”
“This one was particularly successful. It was very well received. In West Virginia, people love nature and this was a perfect fit.”
He noted that The Highlands has evolved into a place that has something to offer the whole family.
“It’s exciting to see the growth we’ve had here since its inception,” Boldrick said. “Before, those dollars had to leave the state, and now it’s nice that everyone can stay here.”
He added that working with Ohio County officials has been “great” for him as the first manager at Cabela’s.
Among those involved in the establishment of Cabela’s in the Highlands were then-County Administrator Greg Stewart and then-County Commissioners – former Commissioner Tim McCormick, current Ohio County District Judge David Sims, and current Commissioner Randy Wharton.
Wharton is also currently president of the Ohio County Development Authority, which has jurisdiction over The Highlands.
“We were told to go with Cabela’s,” he explained. “It was really a pipe dream and we knew how difficult it would be to secure.”
Ohio County officials nevertheless took the opportunity and reached out to the Cabela’s team.
“They were very open about what was required from our side,” Wharton said. “They made it clear that they could meet with five cities a day that wanted Cabela’s.”
“But we really needed a win,” he added. “People were driving to St. Clairsville and Pittsburgh to shop. There just weren’t many places for them to shop in Ohio County.”
Wharton noted that because of the eventual location of Cabela’s and its distribution center in The Highlands, Ohio County has come to believe that much more could be accomplished with its Dallas Pike property.
“Once we secured the retail store and then the distribution center, it fundamentally changed our master plan and everything we wanted to do,” Wharton explained.
Once they were convinced that Cabela’s was coming, they began to focus on making The Highlands what it is today – a “very diversified and mixed-use” project with retail stores and restaurants, a sports complex, light industrial businesses and medical offices, Wharton continued.
Wharton said he really couldn’t imagine what would have become of the Dallas Pike property without Cabela’s.
When West Virginia officials saw the company was ready to locate on the Dallas Pike property, Ohio County was able to initially obtain grants for earthmoving, installing utilities and building roads, he explained. It also approved a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) district, allowing the county to keep a portion of the sales tax generated there for future developments in The Highlands.
“And if we hadn’t turned toward Cabela’s, it would have been difficult to get to the first interchange,” Wharton said. “After Cabela’s, the interchange is of secondary but perhaps equally important importance (which allowed motorists to drive directly from the highway into the development).”
Wharton pointed out that the former acres of open fields were now an area whose tenants paid property taxes to Ohio County and sales taxes to West Virginia.
“And there, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in construction projects, most of which were carried out by local craftsmen,” he said. “This generated very high and reliable revenues.”
In addition, local utilities such as American Electric Power and Comcast, as well as food suppliers, have also benefited from development in The Highlands, according to Wharton.
Darrell Byers, assistant manager of Cabela’s at The Highlands, has been in the business for 14 years.
“Cabela’s was number one (in The Highlands),” he said. “That’s what this is about. This was the first building here on 20 acres. Everything else has come since Cabela’s.”
“Would The Highlands have existed without Cabela’s?” he was asked.
“Possibly, but it wouldn’t be what it is today,” Byers replied.
