Rogers Sporting Goods: A Family Heritage in Outdoor Gear

Humble Beginnings and Fishing Roots

Rogers Sporting Goods traces its story to the 1950s when a 16‑year‑old Jim Rogers began creating and selling homemade fishing lures to make extra money.

Jim’s passion led him to establish Rogers Lures in 1959 and become one of the 106 original anglers in the inaugural All‑American Bass Tournament in 1967 the event that would eventually give rise to B.A.S.S. His lures, including Big Jim, Hawg Stick, Hawg Hunter, and Walk’n Jim, gained fame among fishermen.

Jim also shared his expertise through a television show titled Fishing with Jim Rogers and a radio program named The Fishing Report, further solidifying his reputation in the fishing community kpisolutions.com+7rogerssportinggoods.com+7rogerssportinggoods.com+7.

From Fishing Lures to Outdoor Store

In his dad’s basement where fishing lures were made, Steve Rogers spent a lot of time becoming involved in the process. At only 27, in 1980, Steve Jobs opened the first Rogers Sporting Goods store in Branson, Missouri.

Before, he worked on a business called May Department Stores, but soon realized that being near outdoor spots made things easier for customers and inspired him to move to Liberty, Missouri. The new shop soon became popular, with customers always waiting outside. By 1985, had doubled the store’s size, but kept their main product line as fishing gear.

Shifting Focus to Hunting

By 1990, Steve introduced hunting equipment into the mix, anticipating it would account for 20% of sales. Instead, hunting quickly emerged as the dominant product, eventually delivering more than 95% of revenue by 2021.

The store’s reputation in ammunition and hunting gear grew after a successful 1997 truckload sale, where they offered a free decoy with shotgun shell purchases a campaign that resulted in the best sales day in Rogers’ history .

Transition to E‑Commerce and Operational Growth

In the early 2000s, a surprise sale of boat seats via eBay prompted Rogers Sporting Goods to embrace e-commerce. The launch of allowed them to reach customers nationwide.

As online sales swelled, the company added warehouse space to its brick‑and‑mortar store. By 2007, a move to a 60,000-square-foot retail location and underground warehouse space enabled them to handle growing inventory, at times filling their parking lot with nearly 40 semi-trailers of merchandise .

Investing in Automated Fulfillment

Continued growth demanded more sophisticated logistics. In partnership with KPI Solutions, Rogers launched a 203,000-square-foot distribution center in Kansas City, equipped with AutoStore AS/RS technology and conveyor systems.

The system included 22 R5 AutoStore robots and 51,000 bins, enabling e-commerce orders to be shipped within 24 hours and halving the time needed for retail in-store replenishment. These improvements enhanced labor productivity and inventory accuracy while reducing headcount linkedin.com+6kpisolutions.com+6linkedin.com+6.

Family Values and Leadership

Despite its scale, Rogers remains a family-run operation. Steve Rogers continued to lead by example working forklifts well into his sixties.

His children Stevie, Mandy, and Shannon—now help run the business: Stevie in buying and marketing, Mandy in finance, and Shannon and Steve managing store operations. Their shared love for hunting and the outdoors creates a cohesive and passionate team energizing both staff and customers .

Commitment to Outdoor Education and Conservation

Rogers Sporting Goods emphasizes conservation and education, particularly among new hunters. The family supports learning opportunities and ethical hunting practices.

The company’s integrity and passion have been recognized by partners like Mossy Oak. Rogers encourages responsible stewardship of natural resources and mentorship between outdoor veterans and newcomers rogerssportinggoods.com.

Omnichannel Strategy and Technological Innovation

Beyond its logistics center, Rogers continues to embrace innovation in its retail model. The company modernized its website through BigCommerce migration supported by Overdose Americas, integrating features like BOPIS, shipping tools, and a national choke-tube finder greatly improving customer experience.

Canada storefront support and targeted email communication via Listrak amplified their omnichannel reach .

Community Engagement and Brand Trust

Rogers has cultivated a trusted reputation within the hunting community. Online forums often spotlight their competitive ammunition pricing and expert customer service, generating enthusiastic dialogues among enthusiasts.

Their Better Business Bureau profile reflects this trust—while not accredited, there are minimal complaints, indicating consistent customer satisfaction rogerssportinggoods.com.

Scaling While Preserving Identity

Rogers faces common challenges of mid-sized retailers: limited physical footprint and competition from big-box chains. Yet, their investment in automation, omnichannel fulfillment, and family-style service offer a competitive edge.

They have expanded their geographic reach through logistics solutions and digital channels, without sacrificing the personalized touch that defines a family business .

Looking Ahead

Future plans focus on expanding digital outreach and logistical efficiency. With a solid foundation in warehouse automation and ongoing web enhancements, Rogers is well placed to deepen its market share in North American outdoor retail.

Any future expansion is likely to prioritize strategic growth—possibly adding outdoor categories while keeping passion and customer knowledge at its core .

Conclusion

Rogers Sporting Goods is a case where using family values, passion, and innovation ensures continued success from Jim Rogers’ fishing lures to its e-commerce and retail business. Cabela’s began as a single store and has now become a main company in the hunting and outdoors market.

Because they use technology for delivery, update their online presence, and focus on their community, they have remained above retail competitors. In the future, Rogers wants to develop by keeping the personal, expert assistance that helped the company succeed. Those who expect real knowledge, impressive products, and personal service will find Rogers to be the industry leader in outdoor retailing.