State of Retail: Meet the 2023 panel

A model of this option ran within the January factor of BRAIN.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The January factor featured our new panel. We’re going to allow them to introduce themselves and their companies: 

BOISE, Idaho: Jason Bauer, proprietor Bauerhaus Motorcycles

I stumbled into motorcycle store possession after running for a bigger store on the town for over twenty years. I stopped up with a big clientele via having the popularity of running with higher-end motorcycle and wheel builds. I bought my former employer’s off-site are compatible studio in July of 2016 and feature had pretty expansion ever since.

Bauerhaus Motorcycles is a small, mechanic-based store, lately staffed alone and one different worker and shortly to be including some other mechanic. We do a variety of tradition or semi-custom builds and paintings with Moots, OPEN, Niner, Otso, and Evil, amongst different manufacturers. 

WALLA WALLA, Wash: Kathryn Austin, proprietor/supervisor Allegro Cyclery

I prior to now labored within the scientific box as a CNA, nurse practitioner, and authorized nurse midwife, however my occupation ended with the ultimate of the health facility I labored for. My husband owned Allegro with a pal, and I began serving to out. Throughout that point, the desire for a greater girls’s presence within the store was obviously glaring. When his buddy retired in 2017, I stepped in and acquired out his proportion of the trade.

Allegro Cyclery opened in 2005. We’re complete carrier, promoting maximum forms of motorcycles and wearing six manufacturers. We feature a super number of attire, equipment, and gear in order that folks in reality have a spread to choose between, fairly than leaping on-line. Our store is at the smaller aspect with best 3 part-time staff and one location. We placed on two giant occasions a 12 months: the Excursion of Walla Walla, a three-day, four-stage sanctioned street race in early June, and the Walla Walla Grit gravel grinder in early September. I really like serving to folks, particularly girls, in finding the best motorcycle and tool for them and to find new tactics to journey motorcycles.

MOBILE, Ala.: Brad Burton, proprietor Cadence120 Bicycles

I began within the motorcycle trade as a youngster in 1983 turning wrenches after falling in love with biking. I labored in a couple of retail outlets ahead of the chance got here within the type of Cadence120. I’ve devoted my existence to the bicycle and experience passing that keenness directly to getting extra folks on motorcycles. 

Cadence120 opened in 1988, and after 5 years, we moved into a larger location, doubling our dimension. We opened simply because the mountain motorcycle growth was once beginning and embraced this new form of using. In 1997, we bought a brand new 6,000-square-foot location. After an in depth renovation, we moved the shop in 1998. We cater to everybody from the kid simply starting to probably the most seasoned veteran. We have now embraced electrical motorcycles and feature observed how they have got been in a position to introduce new riders to the game in addition to permitting consumers with sure well being problems give you the chance to get again at the street. We wish to see extra folks on extra motorcycles.

STAMFORD, Conn: Julie Gabay, proprietor, president, purchaser Pacific Biking & Triathlon

I had at all times labored in retail previous to proudly owning my store, and I felt there was once a much-needed position in Connecticut for a biking and triathlon retail retailer. I grew up biking and sought after to observe my pastime. My husband may be an avid bicycle owner, and we truly experience getting out of doors and spending that point in combination. I had owned different companies ahead of, and I had the retail revel in — even though this was once far more difficult. 

Pacific Biking & Triathlon, so-named as a result of our first location was once on “Pacific Side road” (now not as a result of we’re at the West coast), has been in trade for 12 years. We have now one location. Industry has been superb. In my opinion, I feel a part of our luck is that we’re woman-owned and we’ve got superb customer support. Since this game is most commonly male ruled, I realize it is helping to have girls in our store. It kind of cuts again at the pressure. We make use of a group of workers of 5: 3 mechanics, myself, and a pro motorcycle more fit.

MASSILLON, Ohio: Molly Lehman, advertising and marketing supervisor Ernie’s Motorbike Store

The motorcycle trade is a debilitating genetic situation in my kin, and now we have all fallen sufferer to it, one at a time. My father started Ernie’s in his early 20s after he made up our minds that manufacturing facility cheesemaking wasn’t going to be somewhat as pleasant as he idea. My mom joined him in a while thereafter. My brother, Ernie Jr., was once doomed from the beginning. And I after all succumbed a number of years in the past after a number of years as a faculty writing trainer.

Our store has been in trade since 1978 and lately employs 30 folks. We have now 3 places, every with a special center of attention and clientele, however our precedence has at all times been the informal rider. Our flagship location serves as a trailhead alongside a significant motorcycle path and the Pan-Ohio motorcycle course.

HOPKINS, Minn.: Jonathan Minks, proprietor Jonny Rock Motorcycles

I opened Jonny Rock in 2011 in Hopkins, Minnesota. The native information headline was once, “Guy Pedals His Option to a New Profession.” I were unemployed from company trade gross sales for 2 years right through the nice recession, and I reinvented myself in a brand new occupation. 11 years later, there are two places of Jonny Rock Motorcycles, the second one of which I opened in Bloomington originally of COVID-19. It was once a fascinating get started, that’s needless to say. We grew from two staff to ten, however trade could be very seasonal right here in Minnesota. It’s been sluggish and now not superb in recent years. The web manufacturers are killing native brick and mortar retail outlets. The expectancies of shoppers purchasing this logo are frightening to mention the least, and hiring staff has additionally been a significant hurdle. Other people can’t or gained’t display as much as interviews, they have got deficient paintings ethics, and desire a top rate pay for a minimum efficiency. Retirees had been a excellent street to appear to to fill those positions. 

BROOKLYN, N.Y.: Ilya Nikhamin and Kasia Nikhamina, co-owners Redbeard Motorcycles

Redbeard simply celebrated 10 years. The unique idea was once a motorcycle are compatible studio: fittings and tradition builds. However such a lot of folks requested for carrier and commuter motorcycles. … We grew right into a full-service store on a hectic side road within the DUMBO community of Brooklyn: the whole lot from youngsters’ motorcycles to tradition street and gravel motorcycles (Parlee, Mosaic, Gunnar, Co-Movement). At our top, we had a group of workers of 4 mechanics and two gross sales, and bought Large, Specialised, and Brompton. Q4, we closed the retail house and moved to a personal studio on a quiet side road the place Ilya is doing fittings, tradition builds, and high-end carrier. Kasia is designing a web-based reserving device and writing new content material for the web site and social media. The transfer was once grueling, and we’re feeling burnt out, so we’re taking it sluggish. We’re hoping to get again at the motorcycle in 2023.

ENCINITAS, Calif.: Will Schellenger, proprietor El Camino Motorbike Store

I were given began within the bicycle trade long ago in 1983 running for the store I now personal. My kin had simply moved to California, and I used to be a 20-year-old child, using my bicycle up and down the coast. Once I got here to El Camino Motorbike Store to have a look at motorcycles, it grew to become out they have been searching for assist and so they employed me. Later, I earned some extent in mechanical engineering at San Diego State College, however I used to be now not lower out for that line of labor and I yearned for the times of running on the bicycle store. I returned to El Camino Motorbike Store, however this time as its 3rd proprietor.

El Camino lately has six staff and is celebrating its fiftieth 12 months in trade. It has moved a couple of instances however has at all times been in the similar common location within the coastal the town of Encinitas in San Diego’s North County. We cater to everybody who loves bicycles, and we’ve got extra youngsters motorcycles than maximum retail outlets. We additionally promote street, mountain, gravel, and naturally, electrical motorcycles. In recent years trade has been slightly off. I’m really not positive if it’s the economic system or higher power from giant company retail outlets within the space and in addition on-line gross sales. It’s my hope that individuals proceed to peer the worth of a locally-owned, family-run trade.

BRADENTON, Fla.: Paul Tobio, proprietor Ryder Motorcycles

I used to be fortunate sufficient to reside lower than 880 yards clear of Belmont Wheelworks in Massachusetts, the place the landlord took pity at the 14-year-old BMX child that visited each day asking if anything else new got here in. I labored there via highschool and faculty ahead of taking a role with Staples. After 17 years in company The us, my spouse and I made up our minds to enter trade for ourselves. We packed up the kin, moved to Florida and acquired Ryder Motorcycles in 2007. 16 years later, we’re having the time of our lives supporting biking, our group, and our group of fellow workers.

Ryder Motorcycles has been round since 1972. We’re a kin pleasant store wearing all issues biking: child’s first push motorcycle, the roadie’s Excursion-level device, the mountain biker’s path motorcycle, and the whole lot in between. Even supposing we’ve got had a couple of places prior to now, we’ve been running a unmarried location for the reason that finish of 2019. Industry has been on par with 2021, which was once above pandemic ranges in 2020.