New Bass Pro Shops signals booming retail to come in World Golf Village area & St. Johns County

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A new Bass Pro Shops is set to open just outside World Golf Village in St. Johns County on Wednesday.

While the project has been 10 years in the making and has raised traffic concerns, it also generating a lot of buzz in St. Johns County, especially with a lot of fishing and hunting options nearby.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

“Being between the St. Johns and obviously the great pond out there, the Atlantic Ocean, this is kinda the fishing mecca location in the state of Florida,” Bass Pro Shops general manager Todd Blanchard told Action News Jax Thursday morning.

“I don’t know if I’ll go opening day, it’ll probably be madness, but I am gonna frequent it,” St. Johns County neighbor Rich Roden said. “It’s right across the street from us basically, so we’re really excited.”

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Action News Jax was offered an early look inside Florida’s 13th Bass Pro Shops location Thursday morning. For hunters and anglers, it’s a dreamland with plenty to shop for, a 12,000-gallon aquarium, and even educational lessons for kids while their parents get the gear they need.

“We’ll have an opportunity where kids can come fish on the weekends, we’ll do seminars for them,” Blanchard said. “We have a live archery range, people can come test their bows.”

Action News Jax told you in April when the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners also voted to buy the nearby World Golf Hall of Fame. It’s still uncertain what could go there with all new shops and restaurants possible. Nonetheless, this 100,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops is a strong signal of what’s to come in a rapidly growing retail epicenter in St. Johns County.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Roden likes what he sees as long as the traffic that often comes with these large developments is managed well.

“World Golf Village, it seems to be a growing area and everything’s new. And as long as the traffic’s not too bad, that’s the only concern I have, but so far it’s just been delightful and we really like it here,” Roden said with a smile.

Store managers expect large crowds at the store opening on Wednesday, so if you’re headed there, plan to exercise some patience before heading in to shop.

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.