Cabela Brother's Furniture and Hardware Store was started in Chappell, NE in March of 1932 by brothers Albin Charles and Louis Cabela. They bought the store from Chappell Lumber and Hardware Company and moved to Chappell from Brainard, NE; along with Louie's wife, Eleanor. Their father, James Cabela, made many trips from Brainard to visit his sons.
The original Cabela Brothers store was a 1 1/2 story building located on Vincent, just south of the present post office. The United States Government rented the south part of the store for use by the post office.
AC Cabela and Mary Alice (Marian) Brady were married on September 4, 1935. On Halloween night, 1935, the lumber yard, which was located just across the alley from the store, burned down with the fire spreading to the Cabela building and causing it to burn down also. After the fire, the Cabela Brothers rented the building on Second Street, which later housed the IGA Store, and for a time showed only furniture.
In 1937, they bought the former Wiekum Building at the corner of Second and Matlock and again sold hardware along with the furniture. This building still houses the main portion of the business.
In the spring of 1942, AC Cabela bought out his brothers' interest and Louie and his family moved to Denver. AC also purchased at this time the adjoining building, which belonged to Chris Christensen, that had contained a pool hall and a small restaurant. He remodeled it and had furniture on the east side and hardware in the original building.
Other buildings purchased include: A building purchased from Earl Kenney, located on Matlock between second and third, was used as a warehouse. This building is now being used as the Senior Citizen's Center. A building purchased from Wilbur Rhoades and located north of the main building is used for a warehouse. A building purchased from the Nelson family is located just east of the grade school and is now used as a warehouse. Another building purchased for a warehouse was obtained from Louie Howitt and is located just south of Highway 30 on Court Ave. The Deuel County Motors Co. building located on Vincent was purchased from Fred Shureman and was remodeled and opened as the Cabela Store annex. Living room furniture is shown in this building. The bedroom furniture showroom is at the location of the old Fritchman Department Store and also located on Vincent. It was purchased from Mrs. Belta Schutte. The original American Legion Hall was purchased from Dick and Jim Cabela and is now used for displaying dining room furniture. It is located just west of the Chappell Memorial Library on Third Street. The last building purchased was in 1983. It was the Oddfellow's building located at the SW corner of Fourth and Matlock and is used to display case goods and dinettes. It was purchased from the Oddfellow organization.
On June 12, 1974 Cabela's Store was incorporated. The legal title of the business is Cabela's Store inc., but Cabela's Furniture is used for advertising purposes.
