rectumdamnnearkilledem
Introducing: 3rd Coast Cycles!
Around Christmas time a LBS manager buddy of ours was let-go from his job in what was an episode of very ugly shop politics involving a younger, part-time manager who wanted full-time and was in the ear of the former shop owner. It left a TON of riders in our area feeling frustrated and lost...you know how it is if you have a favorite LBS that feels like YOUR shop. In the ensuing months our friend went to work PT at another shop, but most of us never felt the same connection to this business and most of us mused about how awesome it would be if this guy had a shop of his own, again.
So we're helping to make it happen. In January my DH's (diddidit) grandma passed-away and left us a nice chunk of inheritance money. About a month ago our manager friend and a couple of other friends approached us about financially helping them get a new LBS off the ground. We talked about it for about 24 hours and decided to go in on it -- we figure if the new shop fails (which seems highly unlikely) we won't really have lost anything. The inheritance money is a lovely little bonus, but if it's gone we won't miss it. If the shop is a huge success (much more likely scenario...we're looking at retail space nowhere near any other shops and in a rapidly growing and central area of new homes and businesses -- with amazing paved and unpaved roads for shop rides), then we'd regret not getting in on the ground floor of this thing. And, really, who wouldn't want to be affiliated with an awesome LBS if they could?!
Pretty exciting stuff. We're still narrowing-down what product lines we'll carry, where we'll rent shop space, and opening date, but we're shooting for 12/1...as a sort of soft-opening. That will give us a few quiet months to work out any kinks and have a strong opening in the Spring.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Awesome! Congratulations!
How local are you?... I mean, remind me, again where you live. I live far away, but I have plenty of family and friends in your neck of the woods. Is it Grand Haven? Muskegon? Holland? I forget.
My BIL manages a shop in GR.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
Awesome! Congratulations! How local are you?... I mean, remind me, again where you live. I live far away, but I have plenty of family and friends in your neck of the woods. Is it Grand Haven? Muskegon? Holland? I forget. My BIL manages a shop in GR.
We live in Grand Haven, but the shop will probably be near Hudsonville, sorta SW of GR...between GR and Holland, most likely.
Who is your BIL? I probably know him by name, at least.
Mason Straayer from Ada Bike Shop.I think I remember from a couple years back that you know (knew) the mechanic from that shop.
Village people
Congratulations! That is very cool.
Very cool. Whats the RA discount?
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
Sweet
Yep! Ted Bentley used to be mechanic at the shop that we are no longer fans of. I only know Mason by name. Interesting thing...GR Bicycle Co. recently acquired Ada BS. The guy who will be store manager of our store just gave his notice at GRBC yesterday. GRBC is nice, but it never felt like home. And he was stuck PT there, with a 1 hour commute each way. The new shop will be closer for everyone concerned, which is going to be an added bonus.
RA discount -- that would be so awesome!
fear the Col Sanders
That is very cool. I would love to (have the money to) do something like that.
Quality LBS > sliced bread
Just because I look dumb doesn't mean I'm not...
I think we're already pushing 300 likes on FB!!
Make that >400 likes in 3 days!
You're welcome.
never runs the tangents
that is exciting and scary all at once
well not for me
“Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan!” Doctor Who
How did the soft opening go?
It would have have been good timing to have named the shop after a Specialized product, but I digress...
Seriously, I hope it's going well. It can be a tough business.
How did the soft opening go? It would have have been good timing to have named the shop after a Specialized product, but I digress... Seriously, I hope it's going well. It can be a tough business.
Bwahahahaha!!! Good thing we're not Epic 3rd Coast Cycles!!
Both soft and official opening were great! I was able to be there snapping photos of both. Fun days. Already have had some great sales. Fat bikes are selling and a few road bikes have even gone out the door. This place has a ton of buzz. A lot of people were pretty disenfranchised when our friend lost his previous shop gig. Quite a lot of interest from new people, too.