The only Scheels I've been in was the store in Lincoln, NE. Some years back I was visiting family there and went to Scheels to avoid going to the mall with my wife and my cousin. They had a good deal on a rifle that I had the hots for and so I bought it. The staff was really genuinely friendly and did not pressure me on anything.
A few years later a group of us were going prairie dog hunting in northwest Nebraska and we were stopping for the night. We decided to go to Scheels to buy our hunting licenses. We didn't get there until 8:00 PM so it was getting close to closing time. A problem developed with the computer system for the licenses and they were working hard to fix it. The store closed at 9:00 PM and we figured that the staff would tell us to come back the next day, but they told us that they would stay as long as necessary to get our licenses. This was great as we wanted to get on the road early in the AM. Naturally, to kill time, we looked over their shooting products and between the 5 of us we spent over $2,000 on guns and related items. At about 10:00 PM we got our licenses. The staff remained friendly and helpful, never making us feel like we were inconveniencing them.
Yes, they have all kinds of non-shooting products but that helps keep a place like that in business. I found their stockage of firearms to be quite extensive and reasonably priced. The handguns were in locked cases and required a staff member to open them, but the long guns were on racks where you could take them and look them over and fondle them.
I don't like Bas Pro or Cabella's. Too many of the staff behind the gun counter act like you are bothering them and too often I heard them talk to customers like they were complete idiots. Some customers are, but good sales people act professionally.
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