SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) – Thousands of outdoors enthusiasts turned out Thursday for the grand opening of the first Cabela’s store in northern New England.

After a series of events for VIPs, the 125,000-square-foot was opened to the public at 5 p.m.

Like its competitor, L.L. Bean, Nebraska-based Cabela’s aims to transform shopping into an outdoor experience. Visitors were greeted by a two-story “mountain” rising from the floor, along with a waterfall that flows into a trout pond.

Spokesman John Castillo says the average Cabela’s customer spends 31/2 hours in the store, and half the visitors drive 100 miles or more to get there.

AP-ES-05-15-08 1748EDT