Setting up a small bike shop

[Hilldodger]

How much space will you have? Is sounds as thought you would need quite a bit.

When Cyclemagic moved a couple of years ago we went from 1100 sq ft to 5000 and that still isnt enough. Bikes take up a lot of room. If your business is successful, is there room to cope?

All the best with it......but think about expanding from the beginning!

 

[Arch]

My boss just did a tour of dealers for an article, and said he reckoned many of them made their money in servicing, and the sales were just the icing on the cake.

I like the cafe idea - just be aware that you may need different people to run that side and the bike side - you'll need food hygiene certs and stuff. And customer service can be variable in bike shops - some people are great at bikes but have bugger all people skills. So if you can find staff who have both mechanical and people skills, and can get their head round not storing cooked and raw meat together and leaving thumbprints in sandwiches, you'll be made. You might find the cafe, if it's good, and has a good location, takes over. After all, a rider always needs food and drink, but doesn't always need a new bike or a brake cable. Is the premises on the beaten track (a high street etc), or harder to find? I've only just found a really nice cafe, on an industrial estate, because it was mentioned on a board on a cycle track - I'd never have thought of riding through the estate otherwise.

If the area is good for MTBing and Audxing, maybe the parts side will be the most useful, as opposed to a wide range of bikes? Also, if someone is in mainly to have a coffee, they are more likely to be tempted by a little thing, like a multitool, or mitts, or a bit of clothing, than a whole bike.

 

[Young Un]

One of the lbs near here has just doubled in size. The premises (dog grooming parlour) next door to hem became vacant. How lucky is that, expand without moving.

It's a good shop that one; Echelon Cycles


(I'm saying that with no personal bias *cough*)

 

[Speicher]

I am sure you will look into the whole idea very closely. IIRC in order for someone to prepare food, they need Hygiene Certificates, and you need to wade through at least 9,000 pages of the relevant legislation, before they put a baked bean on a slice of toast.

However, if you just serve drinks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold drinks, and pre-packaged snacks, bisuits, crisps, energy bars etc, I think the Regulations are easier to understand and comply with. Though you still need basics like two sinks, one for hand-washing and one for washing up.

I think you have a great idea. Provide employment, service bikes, offer advice, and encourage people to cycle who might not otherwise, and provide a socialble atmostsphere. As others have said, could you try and have one evening where you are open late. The local lbs stays open until 7pm on Mondays, ideal for people working all day.

Add some short, easy cycle rides for beginners, or mid-week rides etc, and it could be a very interesting Small Bike Shop.

If you were closer to Worcester, I might even offer to help.

 

[Speicher]

It's a good shop that one; Echelon Cycles


(I'm saying that with no personal bias *cough*)

Do you know someone who works there?
All the staff are very friendly and helpful.

 

[Young Un]

Do you know someone who works there?
All the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Possibly

On a serious note, I will echo what Speicher just said; the shop that I work in opens late on mondays and fridays 'till 8, and we do very well out of doing so as it allows people who are tied up at weekend to come to the shop after weekends.

 

[Young Un]

Oh and also, people in this thread are giving some very good advise. Definately about having almost two sets of staff; those that do the labour, and those that talk to the customers. I mainly do the latter as I have not yet been trained properly in the workshop area, but it allows me to stay out on the shop floor talking to the customers, whilst the other saturday boy tends to stay in the wrokshop and get the jobs done; and then the boss hovers between the two.

 

[HelenD123]

Late night opening once a week at an LBS would be great.

 

[summerdays]

No idea about the financial side of things, but having a large stock of bikes sounds like it would take up a large area (though my LBS runs out of something the size of a front room - I'm not kidding) and pot of money. Instead I like the idea of you stocking parts and offering tea and servicing. But if you have the space and the knowledge why don't you run some maintenance workshops - one evening a month or during the day aimed at different parts of the bike/knowledge levels.

And put in some bike stands outside the shop for all those visiting bikes - and maybe have locks you could lend if necessary?

 

[Hacienda71]

I work as a commercial property agent/ Chartered Surveyor and recently came across a Raleigh rep with customer in tow looking to set a LBS with Raleigh backing. I know over recent years Raleigh have had a bit of a hammering for quality of Asian products etc. but this guy was looking at higher end stuff avanti lines etc. I think this may have been on a sale or return basis on stock and Raleigh would subsidize some of the fit out costs. I think there was a size criteria for the shop circa 1500 sqft minimum. I am not sure if you could sell other bikes but they were definately thinking of a workshop so i assume fixing any type of bike would be ok. Sorry if this is a bit vague but may be worth doing some research into.

 

[Crankarm]

Autumn going on winter is probably not the best time to open a bike shop especially in a rural and remote area. Coupled with the current economic climate a sure way to lose a shed load of money IMHO. Best wait until the spring. At least you'd stand a fighting chance. As stated above a "sale or return " agreement with a supplier sounds good. What marketing or advertising were you planning on doing apart from CC?

Good luck anyway.

 

[Campfire]

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. The cafe bit sounds great, shortage of good cafes nowadays.

 

[Arch]

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. The cafe bit sounds great, shortage of good cafes nowadays.

Depends where you are! I might mention the Lavender Tea Rooms, the Well House at Belford, the cafe in Beadnall Bay, the Millfield Centre... All from the last weekend! And I'm leading a ride with three cafes in 50 miles on Sunday....

Although, I agree that there is always room for another cafe, especially a cyclist friendly one (big portions!)

 

[summerdays]

Autumn going on winter is probably not the best time to open a bike shop especially in a rural and remote area.

But surely he is at the investigation phase now, rather than the opening phase... who knows how long it would actually take to set it all up (could be next Autumn)

 

[pij1979]

Wow, thanks for the advice and tips. It is likely I will buy the building anyway, it makes complete financial sense as the vendor wants to lease a tiny part of the building at a significant premium which will cover the cost of the mortgage easily. I also own a chunk of land next door, although I developed it into houses a couple of years ago, though I till own them.

I was thinking of 'raising the roof' to create a mezzanine floor with an exit onto a decking area with access to the lane for bike parking/ outdoor seating in the sumer etc. The mezzanine would be he cafe, with the service center and bike showroom on the existing ground floor.

In term of cycling locally, there is a great network of mtb routes (traditional bridleways etc rather than 'groomed' trails. Roadwise in one direction there are proper hills and in the other you are out into Shropshire/ Cheshire.

Prizes for guessing were I am!

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and tips, if I do go down the bike shop route I will let you all know and will set up a progress website so it can be followed from inception, to hopefully success! (I have registered the domain already!).