Customers from all over attended, some even camping out overnight to be the first ones in the door.

Described as a “Dick’s Sporting Goods on steroids” by one customer, walking inside of a Scheels store feels like walking into an outdoorsy wonderland of chaos.

The newest Scheels store and the first in Arizona had its grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 30 and it was nothing short of eccentric. There was food, drinks, a ribbon cutting, drums and Sparky the Sun Devil.

One child even pointed out to me, “Look there are people paragliding in the air.” She was right, people were falling out of the sky for this occasion.

Savannah Bauer from Chandler had been waiting for the store to open with her family since 4 p.m. on Friday. They said they live just down the street and had been watching the construction and progress for months. They came to the grand opening to support the local Chandler community and pick up some sporting gear for the kids, take a ride on the Ferris wheel and look at the hunting gear.

Assistant store leader Joel Ossman from Rowley, Iowa moved to Arizona just to work at the Scheels. He said the store is all about giving customers a memorable experience.

With 75 specialty shops or sections, some of the items the store sells include sporting goods, shoes, clothes, firearms, archery, home decor, camping gear and toys.

“We’re just a big retail store with a lot of things in between,” Ossman said.

Employees are experts in what they sell, he said. If an employee loves shoes or running, then they're going to be selling that product.

So, you may be wondering what else the Scheels store in Chandler Fashion Center has to offer. I’m here to highlight the wildest, most interesting things the employee-owned store offers.

A 16,000-gallon fish tank

As you walk in the door of the Chandler Scheels, you are greeted by a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium archway containing about 600 different fish of unique colors and coral.

If you’re lucky enough you might even, see the professional scuba diving team that takes care of the sea life. They do it all while waving and posing for pictures.

A Ferris wheel in a sporting goods store?

As you walk past the gigantic aquarium archway, right in front of you in the middle of the store sits the eye-catching Ferris wheel. I know what you’re thinking. A Ferris wheel inside of a store sounds absurd, right? Well, not for Scheels.

The 45-foot Ferris wheel is open for adults and kids to ride for the cost of $1. There are 12 cars which each give you a bird’s-eye view of the store.

Games for people of all ages

If you hear the sounds of Pac-Man and think you walked into an arcade, don’t be alarmed. Scheels offers arcade games to keep your kids (or yourself) occupied.

There’s a shooting gallery with moving animatronics that costs $1 for one game, $2 for three games and $5 for eight games. For $1 a game, you can play Rollerball or a miniature version of bowling solo or with a group.

If you’re looking to test out some gear, you can also try out some of the sports simulators, including baseball and golf, with the help of a store associate.

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A taxidermy mountain

With each turn, there is something new to discover in Scheels. Which is why it’s so easy to spend two or three hours in the store.

There is an extravagant display of taxidermy animals including deer, wolves, birds, snakes, rabbits and moose, propped along a mountain scene. Every corner you look in, you might find a new animal.

You can even interact with the display and pull up fun facts on the animals to share with your friends.

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Coffee, candy and a café

If you get hungry while visiting the store, then you can stop in to Ginna’s Café which offers a spot to relax and take a breather in between shopping (or playing games). They offer a variety of coffee, specialty drinks, soups and sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you’re craving a sweet treat instead then you can visit Fuzziwig’s Candy Shop which has all the classic candy options as well as trending treats. Homemade fudge and gourmet chocolates will make you forget you’re in a sporting goods store.

Details: 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 pm. Sundays. Scheels Chandler, 3199 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. 480-676-6855. scheels.com.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: I went to Scheels on opening day. Here's what I saw (and learned)