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that's right, i started a bike shop. :shock:
some of you may already know if you're on my Facebook, but i thought i'd tell you guys here. those that know me will know that i got made redundant in july 2014, luckily i got a reasonable pay out for the 6 years i'd been with that company but i didn't really know what to do, i knew i was gonna head back to the bike trade but i wasn't sure what i wanted to do in the trade, sales? mechanic? sales rep? i didn't know so initially i went back to working for several shops part time to make up a full time wage as no one had any full time shop job in my area, then the work dried up, then i split up with my girlfriend and that's when i ended up working at Burkes Cycles New Zealand (probably the best shop i will ever work in)
the plan was to come home from NZ last year and start a shop but i got back in early june and i felt this was too late in the year to start a shop so i ended up working for another local shop, then the opportunity came up to go back to NZ and i felt this was a good excuse to leave the shop i was working at so that from NZ i could start organising my return.
i got back here on march 17th, i registered for self employment with an accountant the next day, signed the lease on the shop the following tuesday, then it was a case of getting the accounts, organising the slat wall and fittings for the shop.
it in someways has been quite easy but some things are still not done and i opened on the 6th of april, the phone took nearly 3 weeks to sort (thanks BT) the internet another few days after that, some of the shop accounts haven't yet been ok'd for no other reason than reps dragging their feet!
i'm aiming myself squarely at people who can't fix their own bikes and predominantly at people with bikes with no higher spec than deore gears as most people with higher spec set ups tend to do their own work, although obviously i'm happy to work on anything for anyone. also, i won't be selling bikes, i am purely repairs, spares and accessories as frankly selling bikes does not make sense in this internet day and age! the stock cost versus the deals that everyone wants versus the time in which the stock needs to be paid for before it's sold is just unrealistic, then when you look at what you can make on each bike you realise it's just futile.
the first 2 weeks were slow as i expected but by the third week the signage was up and the phone etc was in, people started coming in and so did the bikes, my 3rd week i did 50% more than i had hoped for which i am really pleased with obviously.
also after visiting the bespoked bristol show Tom from Demon Frameworks asked me to build his bikes and turned up last tuesday with a beautiful frame and a box of chris king and di2!
anyway here's a few pictures
IMG_6325 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6313 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6312 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6314 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6315 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6316 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6317 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_6322 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
some of you may already know if you're on my Facebook, but i thought i'd tell you guys here. those that know me will know that i got made redundant in july 2014, luckily i got a reasonable pay out for the 6 years i'd been with that company but i didn't really know what to do, i knew i was gonna head back to the bike trade but i wasn't sure what i wanted to do in the trade, sales? mechanic? sales rep? i didn't know so initially i went back to working for several shops part time to make up a full time wage as no one had any full time shop job in my area, then the work dried up, then i split up with my girlfriend and that's when i ended up working at Burkes Cycles New Zealand (probably the best shop i will ever work in)
the plan was to come home from NZ last year and start a shop but i got back in early june and i felt this was too late in the year to start a shop so i ended up working for another local shop, then the opportunity came up to go back to NZ and i felt this was a good excuse to leave the shop i was working at so that from NZ i could start organising my return.
i got back here on march 17th, i registered for self employment with an accountant the next day, signed the lease on the shop the following tuesday, then it was a case of getting the accounts, organising the slat wall and fittings for the shop.
it in someways has been quite easy but some things are still not done and i opened on the 6th of april, the phone took nearly 3 weeks to sort (thanks BT) the internet another few days after that, some of the shop accounts haven't yet been ok'd for no other reason than reps dragging their feet!
i'm aiming myself squarely at people who can't fix their own bikes and predominantly at people with bikes with no higher spec than deore gears as most people with higher spec set ups tend to do their own work, although obviously i'm happy to work on anything for anyone. also, i won't be selling bikes, i am purely repairs, spares and accessories as frankly selling bikes does not make sense in this internet day and age! the stock cost versus the deals that everyone wants versus the time in which the stock needs to be paid for before it's sold is just unrealistic, then when you look at what you can make on each bike you realise it's just futile.
the first 2 weeks were slow as i expected but by the third week the signage was up and the phone etc was in, people started coming in and so did the bikes, my 3rd week i did 50% more than i had hoped for which i am really pleased with obviously.
also after visiting the bespoked bristol show Tom from Demon Frameworks asked me to build his bikes and turned up last tuesday with a beautiful frame and a box of chris king and di2!
anyway here's a few pictures
IMG_6325 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6313 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6312 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6314 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6315 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6316 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6317 by Dr. Branom, on FlickrIMG_6322 by Dr. Branom, on Flickr
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