Why is my local bike shop closed again?

pbassred

I am writing this on the Friday before New Years. I realize that its Christmas week and that shop owners can do whatever the hell they want. However you might think that they run a shop to make money. This is the first week after Christmas and the spending public is bored and looking to powershop. All the bike shops are closed this week.

Bike shops tend to be closed on Sundays too - also when the money is looking for something to do. It puzzles me that recreation equipment shops generally bother to open when the earning public is at work and close when they leave, but bike shops are 2nd worst only to music shops. Do they make all of their money servicing bikes for the unemployed and stay-at-home mums? Is there a revenue plan that I'm missing?

fenix

Some bike shops are open on sundays but most cyclists are out cycling then so they're not shopping. So that makes sense.

As to Xmas - maybe they've gone away like some people do ?

Shopping for recreation is awful. Do people really enjoy it?

slowmart

pbassred wrote:

Is there a revenue plan that I'm missing?

Not just the revenue plan.......

pbassred

but most cyclists are out cycling then

ALL cyclists? ALL types? ALL day?
I've had the same logic thrown at me by music shops i.e. most working musicians play on a Saturday night so they don't go out on Sunday. Like working musicians don't break stuff? I would expect that most instrument buyers like most bike riders don't play as much as they would like. So when do you buy your next guitar/bike. That's it:- when you are relaxed. Possibly when you are passing trade.
I suspect its that bike shop owners are a little like hairdressers - once you are quite good at something, the next step is to open your own shop - ignoring the fact that DOing and managing are quite different skills. Maybe its just that the shop owners are out cycling and they can't delegate a keyholder.
Of course, as I said in my post, they can do what they like. All the same:- shops are expensive to own. You'd think that they would want to milk it.

fenix

I did say most. Why pay staff if most of your trade isn't around ?

A lot of bike shops are run by cyclists and they want to play out too. I don't understand your indignation. Open your own Sunday bike shop and you're quids in surely ?

fat daddy

Halford, Cycle surgery, Cycle republic .... they are all open on sundays and bank holidays

And probably have the same level of people working in them as would your LBS if the owner decided to hire Sunday staff to cover him when he went out cycling


now the bigger question being ... in the midst of winter .. why dont any of the above shops sell fcooking CX tyres ??? ... its winter, height of cyclocross and you only stock budget commuting and fast summer tyres ?????? ... fine I'll order from CRC or Wiggle then .... which will cost me £££ more as I'll end up buying a load more stuff

cycleclinic

A shop staying open cost money. If the expected trade does not meet cost or all your staff want the day off you close. staying open to sell a few inner tubes does not work. a high street shop needs to sell a bike to make opening worthwhile, that is probably not going to happen on the 24th dec. Those staff you know are not free.

Big chains have more flexability in this regard. Small shop owners need time off as well you cant expect them to work 7 days a week with only bank holidays off.

CX is a niche sport and the tyres dont sell well. Shop stock tyres must turn over quickly end off. All those shops you mention have onlline sites where you can buy your CX tyres. That is there logic.

the people who generally make the complaints above have never run a business, if you do you will see the why things happen the way they do.