MacDonald's Closure

[HLaB]

Note its the Mac not the Mc

Read about the closure of Edinburgh Oldest bike shop last night. If anybody knows it is the one where Danny MacAskill's career launched as he launched off its roof.

I know my parent bought a few of our families bikes there, it was pretty reknowned for being a Raleigh dealer back then but more recently they moved up market a bit and I got my Bianchi there.

I must admit if though when I lived in Edinburgh I would have shopped there all the time if I could gurantee the boss was in, he was great, the staff were muppets so often didn't or came out without having bought anything. The last time that springs to mind was when I snapped my seat pin bolt and went round them and another 3 lbs in a mad dash after work, the staff wanted to sell me a mtb clamp that wouldn't fit my bike. after checking out another couple of shops I was passing back by the shop and spotted the boss, straight away he recognised me as the bloke who bought the XXX Bianchi (even though it was about a year and a half previously) and whipped a clamp of a display model and insisted there was no charge.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

shame you can't trade on nostalgia

 

[cosmicbike]

One of my LBS is closing before Christmas too, The Bike Company in Staines (though think their Windsor shop is staying open). Apparently the rent of going up and by too much to make it viable..

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Too bad, is it due to retiral ? There is a lot to be said for a decent LBS and supporting that LBS too, rather than these online retailers. I have had good dealings with a Stirling LBS myself, as the guy recognizes that a happy customer is a repeat customer. Saying that, I still share my custom around a couple or three different stores.

 

[biggs682]

trouble is a good lbs needs good customers as @Strathlubnaig mentioned above

and customers are getting rarer