A Ferris wheel. A seaplane hanging from the ceiling. An animatronic dinosaur. Boats, kayaks, guns, golf clubs, candy and enough sporting goods to keep just about anyone occupied.
Central Texas is about to get its first SCHEELS, and we got a preview inside the massive new Cedar Park store before it opens to the public Saturday.
The new SCHEELS is at 2150 Cedarview Drive in the CedarView development near the H-E-B Center.
The Grand Opening Parking Lot Party begins at 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, with the store opening to shoppers at 9:30 a.m. following a ribbon-cutting ceremony and skydiver performance.
The size of the place is difficult to convey in words, which is why we’re showing you.
The Cedar Park SCHEELS encompasses about 378,000 square feet, including more than 300,000 square feet of retail space and more than 75 specialty shops.
Inside, shoppers will find equipment and apparel for seemingly every sport imaginable, including hunting, fishing, camping, golf, baseball, cycling, fitness and watersports.
The firearms department is larger than many standalone gun stores. There are more than a dozen varieties of stand-up paddleboards on display, along with kayaks, boats and an enormous selection of fishing and outdoor equipment.
There are also dedicated areas featuring Texas brands, including Tecovas, YETI and Meat Church.
And sporting goods are only part of the experience.
A Ferris wheel rises through the store. A seaplane hangs overhead. There’s an animatronic dinosaur, a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, a wildlife mountain, a golf simulator and a batting simulator.
Kids can find a large toy selection, while anyone with a sweet tooth can make a stop at Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory. Ginna’s Café offers another place to grab something to eat or drink while exploring the enormous store.
SCHEELS is making opening morning an event of its own.
The parking lot party begins at 7 a.m. with entertainment, vendors and giveaways. Customers are permitted to camp outside overnight, and the first 50 people in line will receive exclusive merchandise and pizza from Howler Brothers. Gift cards ranging from $25 to $1,000 are expected to be given away every 20 minutes during the event.
The Cedar Park location is SCHEELS’ second store in Texas and its first in Central Texas.
Take a look through our preview photos for a first look inside before the doors officially open Saturday.
Williamson Reporter 