Building permit issued for Bass Pro Shops store in Fort Smith

A $20 million building permit has been issued by the City of Fort Smith for construction of the Bass Pro Shops in the city. There is no word from the Springfield, Mo.-based retailer when construction will begin on the Outpost format.

Bass Pro in early February announced it would expand in Fort Smith at a site off Rogers Avenue and along Interstate 540 where the former Best Buy building is located.

According to information from the city, the existing 35,484-square-foot building will expand to 68,739 square feet. The privately-held company has not yet disclosed the total cost of the project, or when it may open. When first announced, the company indicated a possible opening in the first quarter of 2026.

The store will be the third Bass Pro Shops store in Arkansas. The other two stores are in Rogers and Little Rock. The company has said it will employ more than 100 at the store.

In addition to the Fort Smith site, planned new stores announced in 2025 by Bass Pro Shops are an Outpost in Muncy, Penn., and a superstore in Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss.

The Outpost stores are smaller than the Outdoor World locations and have a cabin or cottage theme. The stores include aquariums, other water features, and murals of scenes local to each store. As with all Bass Pro Shops, they also include boat sales and trophy fish and wildlife mounts.

Bass Pro Shops, an outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield. The company has grown to almost 200 North American locations.