Friday, 29 March 2024
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Bike Shop Girl explains why she’s gone mobile over bricks and mortar

The author of the Bike Shop Girl blog and industry veteran Arleigh Jenkins has announced a new mobile repair business covering Northeast Denver.

With an opportunity dropping into her lap to open a bricks and mortar store around the corner from home, Jenkins writes that she evaluated what she wanted to achieve and has since decided to go mobile.

In a post detailing the past six weeks, Jenkins identifies her top four reasons for opening a store as:

  • Provide the best repair, and customer service possible
  • Identify, and help eliminate the barriers keeping my neighbors from riding their bikes more often
  • Build a friendly cycling community for families and everyday cyclists
  • Become a valuable resource for routes, rides, and unique cycling events in NE Denver

Concluding that none of the above related to selling bikes, Jenkins assessed options and concludes:

“A couple of weeks after turning down the location I returned to my list, and with new eyes saw that the top 4  reasons I wanted to open a bike shop didn’t include a brick and mortar location.

“I’ve thought a lot about this over the past few years of my life, and it only increased when the idea of a shop came to light. How can I rethink bicycle sales and service?  Momentarily my wife and I discussed a mobile bike shop, but it seemed the cost to entry was too high. You need a huge van ($60k+), a good amount of inventory ($15k+), and a lot of time. Then last week  a light bulb went off while helping a neighbor with her bike that was having issues after it was recently repaired by the only bike shop in the area. How about I do bicycle service and sales my way? How do I help my neighbors receive great service, and resources without dealing with the negative side of many bike shops? Answer: Open a mobile bike shop of course.”

Now occupying the former blog’s URL is the online business’s shop window, a portal via which customers can book a service, fitting or make an inquiry.

Jenkins, who formerly serviced professional racer’s bikes, is already under way servicing the Stapleton, Lowry, Park Hill and West Aurora area.

You can read more about why Bike Shop Girl LLC decided to choose mobile over bricks and mortar here.

Alternatively, you can read up on a number of CyclingIndustry.News articles discussing how some mobile businesses are making gains and why.

Furthermore, you can tune into the Cycling Business Podcast on the topic here.