Tel's Stallion Cycle Shop Venture!

I'm still in business and it's growing well, although I still have not learnt the art of making money! Hopefully that'll come in time otherwise I think the missus will be pulling the plug on the whole thing!

Regarding the new premises it has been a real rollercoaster and continues to be so. Further to my last post I am now proceeding with trying to purchase the property as the vendors were not keen on renting at all in the end. So despite having agreed to purchasing quite a few months ago we're still in the process of trying to buy it!

It is taking forever and is a constant weight on my mind and even if I do successfully purchase it the stress will continue as it needs so much work and will be a money pit until the top two floors are converted to a two bedroom flat and the ground floor renovated to be suitable to run the shop from. Hope it's all worth it! I've already invested a couple of thousand in the survey and solicitors, even the "No use empty" loan will cost me £500 just to apply for it! I'm also selling my investment property to fund the project.....

Hopefully I'll have some positive news and some new and exciting pics for you all to look at soon. Thanks for asking ;)
 
Great news .

I sold my business last year , so havent visited the island in a while .

The only thing which would worry me with a grade 2 listing are all the restrictions to the building work . I would check with your local council and explain your plans for the building .
 
So an update on this venture:

I packed up shop about 3 years ago at the beginning of 2016 I stopped trading round the shop and decided to call it a day on my dreams of being a bike shop owner. I sacrificed a lot trying to get the building I mentioned above but at the end of the day it was probably a blessing that I did not get it cos I'd still be renovating it now!

The shop eventually turned into a chore repairing anything and everything getting further and further away from my love of retro bikes. Modern racers were fine and the odd interesting bike but the gas pipe bikes and disc brakes were a headache! I built an extension to my reasonable sized shed and continued to do repairs and trade bikes from home. Work was sporadic and increasingly became less worth my time as renovating my own home became my priority so this year I decided to knock repairs from home on the head too.

Leaving a bit of a hole in my life and becoming a working, sleeping, house renovating machine has finally got me down. I've been entertaining myself watching Fast and Loud on tv and started to reminisce about my trading days and when I bought and sold retro bikes; happy simple days, days that I'd like to return to. So in a bid to get back into the game I've lined my Pug 653 Athena to be sold so that I can fund the renovation of a couple of other bikes I have and get back in the game just for the fun of it.

I recall an old friend telling me not turn hobbies into your work because you will lose your love for it and it will become just work. He was right, to an extent and I'm looking forward to re discovering my love for all things retro plus flipping a few bikes to try to make a few pounds here and there.

It's good to be back :)
 
Re:

Hey Terry,
Long time ... I haven’t been on RB in ages but I still get the notifications. Glad to hear your alive and well. I have a friend who tried something similar and he had to downscale - like you. He’s still working at home and fixing other people’s headaches too. Things seem to have slowed down a bit everywhere over the past few years.
I’ve still all my bikes - the Van Tuyl, the Rossin ( still unbuilt) and the others. They are mostly gathering dust as life has overtaken me and time is precious.
Good to hear from you,
Richard
 
Thanks for the replies fella's, nice to see a few familiar faces.

TGR doesn't time pass by quickly! The last few years have been a whirlwind of activity and change I just don't know where the time has gone....

Yes I'm completely aware that the steel retro bike bubble has burst and I'll be trading in a niche market but I'm fine with that. It also means that the bikes I buy to restore will be much more reasonably priced albeit I do see some ludicrously over priced bikes on eBay :)
 
Re:

Terry
I believe it’s old age and there is no stopping it.
Good to hear from you.

Richard
 
Re: Re:

TGR":276wrube said:
TerrI believe it’s old age and there is no stopping it. Good to hear from you. Richard
Your not wrong Richard! Back in 2009 I got seriously fit despite my back troubles but as time went by
my back has got worse, the painkillers I now take is beyond a joke now, still the doctors won't do anything.

Tel' this bike will cheer you up mate, you know what it was ;) This hasn't been ridden since 2012.
 

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