Greg Overman says he was an avid cyclist when he got into the bicycle industry. Now, as co-owner of the Bike Coop Ltd. in Albuquerque, he has a complaint about the job:
“I don't get to ride anymore. Be careful what you ask for … “
Overman participated in a couple of Q&A type profiles lately (Monday's Albuquerque Tribune and New Mexico Business Weekly in 2004) where he gives a good insight into the bike shop biz. He says it's fulfilling, but hard, work.
He started working at the shop when it was a co-op in 1992 and took over as an owner in 1998. As an owner, he must be prepared to do everything — from fixing to selling bikes, sweeping the floor, hiring, bookkeeping, etc.
The Trib asks him the best and worst about the bike business:
The best — Though I know I won't be a rich person doing this, I will always have something to do. People need to have their bikes functional
The worst — It's a very competitive industry. Mail order and Internet sales have definitely bitten into the amount of retail inventory that goes out the door. People are willing to take time to search out the lowest price on the Internet. Sometimes they find things for less than wholesale, less than I pay. It's hard to stay price competitive.
So how does he keep a competitive edge? Provide high-quality service work.
One of the biggest challenges is keeping things humming in the off-season. “Most of us are fair weather cyclists,” he says. Things can slow down when it's cold, windy, rainy; even national forest closures due to fire danger can impact business.
If you're interested in starting a bike shop, Overman suggests working in one first to get a handle on the industry. Bikes aren't toys anymore, he says. People ride to commute, get fit, and race. They're more serious about their machines.
The Bike Coop is at 3407 Central, NE, Albuquerque. Their primary brand is KHS, but they also sell Italian-made Ridley bikes.
Still interested in opening a shop? Cycle-licious has a couple of links to stories about customer relations and bike shops; one from Go Clipless (“Top 100 retailer drops the ball”) and another from the Biking Hub (“Getting good customer service at bike shops”).
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