1226 Interquest Parkway
scheels.com

Pop in for some camping gear and ride the 65-foot Ferris wheel for a buck. And while you wait for your bike to get tuned, zone out to the sea life in the 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium.

Scheels is part shopping, part tourist attraction — all in a 225,000-square-foot space on the north side of Colorado Springs.

“It’s a place where we sell fun,” assistant floor leader Tanner Johnson said.

The sporting goods store opened in 2021, making it the second of its kind in Colorado. Alongside the 80 specialty shops, which include hiking, fishing, mountain biking and winter sports, are Ginna’s Cafe, Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory, interactive games, a shooting gallery and a 35-foot wildlife mountain decorated with taxidermy.

“Each area or department of the store is like its own mom-and-pop shop,” Johnson said. “They’re experts in those areas. When you’re talking to a camping expert, they are someone who goes out on the weekends and dives into the product knowledge.”