Shift Up Podcast: How Bike Shop Day can engage the community

The latest episode of the Shift Up Podcast is now live, with discussion pulling on the role of Bike Shop Day in engaging the cycling community.

With our host, Arleigh Greenwald, mid-way through opening her own bike shop, this podcast explores the worth of such community events to independent businesses. Our guest this week is, once more, Jo Nocella from 718 Cyclery in Brooklyn.

Greenwald explains her reasoning for opening a new bike shop in the video found the base of this article.

This episode’s chat centers on the U.S. version of Bike Shop Day, which is scheduled for December 1st, just in time to kick of the festive sales period. Nocella pioneered the U.S. event last year, gaining quick traction in the market.

Like the UK counterpart (set for October 6th), the event was inspired by the traction seen in the music market with Record Store Day. The intention is, first of all, to drive footfall back in store with unique events and incentives and latterly to nurture new and existing customer relationships by showcasing the benefits of supporting local businesses.

It is indeed the opportunity to draw in non-cyclists and those who have previously felt alienated by the bike shop experience that is central to many of the events that have made Bike Shop Days successful to date.

It is hoped that around 100 shops will participate in the U.S. iteration of this year’s event. In the UK, shops are invited to register for October’s event here.

To listen and hopefully get some ideas ahead of this year’s events, tune in by hitting play below, or at the head of the homepage.