There is an interesting chain of posts here in which the author laments the lack of bike shops that sell the stuff that HC specializes in. Many of the replies state the obvious that bike shops need to make a profit to stay in business, and the smaller shops do not have the cash flow to stock every obscure part. Some of the posters go on to blame the Internet for the demise of the local bike shop offering personalized service and competitive prices.In late 2005 when Jim told me he wanted to open a bike shop, I was initially skeptical. The Twin Cities already has a lot of good bike shops and with the Internet, one could buy just about anything you would need and have it delivered in a few days. But as I thought about my own shopping experiences both locally and on the Web, it became quickly apparent that a shop with a very focused niche had a good chance of surviving.
What was missing locally was the ability to see and touch the cycling equipment I liked and used -- dynamo hubs, metal fenders, Brooks saddles, and cloth tape (in colors other than black) -- before buying it. And when I went into shops looking for these parts, I was typically told that they weren't available except by special order, and no one seemed especially enthusiastic about placing that order.
But the one element I really missed locally was a cycling community I could relate to. I tried shop rides at various places and rode with a few clubs occasionally but for one reason or another, I never really connected with the groups. I have never been much of a joiner but in the past, I had always been able to find a group of cyclists that had similar interests and were fun to hang around with. We have a very big cycling community here but in many ways it is divided into niches -- racers, mountain bikers, hipsters, messengers -- and I really did not relate to any one of them exclusively. For me, I like to ride at a pace where I can see things and talk to people, and I have a 30+ year interest in vintage steel bikes.
Now that HC has been open a little more than a year, it looks and feels like we have succeeded in establishing the type of business we initially set out to create. It will always be a work in progress but we sell the stuff we like and use, and our customer's are truly great people. One of them referred to the shop as the "clubhouse" a few weeks back and that is a great compliment. We certainly don't want to become exclusive but hope all our customers, old and new, feel comfortable just stopping by to chat.
So, to those who say that the local bike shop is a thing of the past, I say hogwash. There are shops like HC around and we're doing OK.
Ride On!
11 comments:
It's great the two of you took the risk and started the bike shop you wanted. Glad to hear it's a success.
It's great fun to stop by the store and fondle all the merchandise. Sometimes I even buy some! I've thought about similar ventures, perhaps importing a container full of Basil baskets (and a dozen Basil Regi bicycle umbrellas, damn, I'm dying to see one of those live, I've been searching Dutch eBay for "fietsparaplu"!) or the minimum 1,200 JSB-500 insulated SS waterbottles, but have been worried that I'd end up with 15/16ths of a container of baskets and 1,157 water bottles plus warehousing bills. Hiawatha is along the same lines, the Rivendell catalogue come to life, and I hope you guys thrive. I spread my bicycle spending around several LBSs and you'll get your share! In the meantime, it's amazing how utterly boring ordinary bike stores have become!
I attribute our initial lack of failure to a neat and tidy workspace. That and Matt buying that $50 kickstand last year.
I read that thread on the ibob list. It made me glad I live in Minneapolis. The bicycling life around here is great. I like the places we have to ride, quite a few superb shops for my type of cycling, and the best weather in the country. OK, the last part is a lie, but the first two are true.
After reading that thread, I want to dispel 2 myths:
1. LBS charge more than other outlets, especially small LBS, and especially if they have to special order.
I have seen numerous instances where the reverse is true. HC frequently beats Nashbar's prices on a number of items. Small shops often compete favorably with larger shops, also. The major distributors generally give (small) price breaks on items if we buy 4 or 10 of that item. If it is an item we carry anyway, we can generally afford to spring for whatever quantity gets us the break. The bigger shops pay the same prices HC pays when ordering from, say, QBP. When somebody places a special order for a readily available item AND they are willing to pay up front, I am sometimes inclined to give them a break, rather than charge more. It only makes sense - the sale is a done deal. Usually I have to buy stuff on speculation of future demand, then sit around waiting for it to sell. The prepaid special order takes that uncertainty out of the equation.
2. LBS simply cannot reliably sell certain unfashionable items, and it is therefore a huge risk to stock those items.
This is nonsense. All you need to sell anything is an open-minded customer and enthusiasm for the product. Since many customers don't know enough to be closed-minded, it comes down to enthusiasm for the product. I am willing to wager that when I worked at my previous bike shop job, I sold more Nokian tires and more Trek 520 touring bikes than were sold by the entire staff during the previous year. Why? Because I had genuine enthusiasm for those products. I didn't sell many trainers or Madones, unfortunately.
So, have you sold any more of those $50 kickstands? Kickstands are underrated, and fifty dollar 2-legged Swiss kickstands are the most underrated of all. They are unusual enough that the bike valet parking people at last year's Bike Film Festival had trouble figuring it out and on the second night, when they saw me, said, oh yeah, the one with the funny kickstand. One day The World with catch on, just you wait!
There is a lot to be said about being able to walk into a shop and purchase something off the shelf.
I appreciate HC for the opportunity to do so. It's a good thing to be treated FAIRLY by a brick and mortar store.
I hate having to go into a shop, asking for something, being told that they have to special order it, then being asked to pay premium to do so. I'm sorry, if I WANTED to ORDER something, I'd have done so from the convenience of my home.
Thanks HC, I like shopping there and hope to continue to do so.
Jealous. I have a fav LBS which has always done well by me, but as my riding has changed, the shop is still the same. I commute and meander ride now, while the shop still has its primary interest in Madones, Lightspeeds and large C'dale mt.bikes. I don't fault them, but my cycling interest aren't represented there either. Good for MN to have a bike shop such as HC.
I think part of the success of HC is the small size and the strong focus on quality practical gear. There are other bike shops that sell bags and racks, but it's almost always the cheapest possible crap, seemingly stocked just to have more accessories to sell, not because they work particularly well.
HC is the place people go when they're fed up with crappy lights, bags and racks that break, and being told that their old bike isn't worth riding. We're lucky to have you around - here's hoping that HC continues their stellar lack of failure for years to come!
I think the real reason for the sucess is the David Beckham like metro-sexuality of Kevin and Jim. Lets be honest, we all would like to be like them. Cool bicycle store, own a bunch of interesting bikes, and resting on the cutting edge of cycling fashion.
I just don't know about those things that go on afterhours down in that basement.
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