Success Stories

Premium Partner Success Story: Oasis Outback Uvalde, Texas

It's said that everything is big in Texas. Big country. Big hunts. Big adventures. And in Uvalde, Texas (pop: 15,000), there's a place that proves it—Oasis Outback. When we spoke with Brad Farr, public relations and marketing manager for Oasis Outback, we discovered the store was established 4 years ago by owner Randy Klein. As a native son, Randy had big ambitions of opening a hunting store in his hometown. A store that would be a gathering place for the town, a clearinghouse of information, a place to greet old friends and make new ones; a store that stood apart from the big-box retailer down the street. As owner of the town's feed mill/farm store, Randy has lived in Uvalde for more than 30 years and knows firsthand the challenges—and opportunities—his town offers. Keenly aware that hunters drive the local economy, Klein's vision was to establish a store that is a destination for both the local hunters and those who doubled the town's population from the September dove season through the fall deer season. He wanted hunters to know that if they forgot a piece of gear or weren't prepared for the diverse climate and terrain, they could easily pick up the right gear for the right price at Oasis Outback. So Randy Klein dreamed big, took the leap and never looked back.

Today Oasis Outback is a 25,000 square foot, 60 employee store that caters to locals and visitors alike. From fishing, kayaking and Western casual wear to shooting supplies, reloading, firearms and hunting apparel, Oasis Outback satisfies a diverse clientele. They even have a complete in-house taxidermist service and an enormous selection of home décor items for the outdoor/ranching customer. But according to Farr, one of the biggest draws isn't what's on the shelf but rather the store itself. After just one year of business, Klein incorporated a restaurant into the store. Comprising about a quarter of the floor plan, and with seating for 160, the restaurant ensures a constant flow of business from both hunting and non-hunting customers who browse the store in search of gifts for family and friends. This move helps insulate Oasis Outback from the down times between the hunting cycles and seems to be paying off since Klein has experienced incredible growth and sales in four short years of business.

With savvy advertising, Oasis Outback soon gained a reputation as the place to visit in Uvalde. In addition to yellow pages, circulars and mailers, Farr says Oasis Outback stays in the public eye with the "Oasis Outback Outdoor Show," a weekly radio show strategically aired during the Saturday 10:00 am slot. With little competition on the airwaves, Oasis Outback uses radio to reach listeners with promotions and events while distributing general information about the town and the outdoors. Farr says the store also sponsors television shows and leverages their location as a prime hunting destination to get outdoor personalities to Uvalde for free hunts in exchange for filming "behind-the-hunt" lifestyle segments in the store. This trade-out has proven highly effective for the past three years and, according to Farr, will continue to be a source of "outside the box" advertising. Oasis Outback also actively partners with manufacturers in the effort to maximize rebates, stay current on product innovations and cultivate the idea that Oasis Outback is the local hunting expert. Farr clarifies the point. "We want to form customer perceptions. And one way is having our customers see our close relationships with our manufacturers and think ‘wow, they must know what they are doing since these quality manufacturers trust them.' It's the perfect way to gain credibility." So it comes as no surprise that Oasis Outback stocks virtually the entire line of ATK products. Federal, CCI, Champion, RCBS, Alliant Powder, Shooters Ridge, Gunslick, Outers, Weaver Optics & Mounts, Fusion, Nitrex Optics, Blazer and Estate can all be found on the shelves and at the checkout counter. That's because hunting gear—primarily deer and predator items—are the hottest thing going right now. Farr is quick to point out that Oasis Outback keeps tabs on outdoor trends and then builds programs to maximize sales. For example, with the rise in predator hunting, Oasis Outback created a March predator hunting contest with as many as 20 four-person teams competing in the 2-day tournament. Attracting hunters as far away as Houston (a four hour drive), this custom tailored event demonstrates Klein and Farr's ability to convert trends into sales. But not all events are sales driven. Sometime it's just community goodwill. Twice a year, Oasis Outback hosts the Outdoor Expo. This event attracts 4,000 people to the one-day event and features family activities such as rock climbing, helicopter rides, live music, food and appearances from pro athletes and outdoor celebrities. Registration forms help Oasis Outback build a database of qualified leads for future advertising efforts. Big Ideas. Big Efforts. Big Results. Just another day in the Lone Star State.
www.oasisoutback.com