Specialized Concept Store Birmingham REOPENED

XTC2009

MOD EDIT: The store has reopened following a change of ownership. This post was edited at the polite request of the new manager, we're nice like that.


I took my son to have a browse around Specialized Concept Store at Fort Dunlop in Birmingham, only to find it closed with a sign on the door saying it has ceased trading! Anyone know what happened?

Thigh_burn

I think they're owned and operated by Cycle Surgery - or at least the one in Covent Garden was, before it too shut down and became a bog standard CS.

I don't know the exact reason, but I suspect it comes down to them just being Specialized showrooms. They're not concept stores. It's not like there's a brilliant experience going in there - it's just the Spesh range. I guess they found it very hard to be competitive.

Frank Wilson

Yes we have a weird situation in Chester whereby the Specialised Concept store is right next to the Bike Factory who coincidentally sell Specialised bikes.

Never understood it myself.

graeme_s-2

According to their website, the Birmingham store is closed for refurbishment

https://www.specializedconceptstore.co. ... ham-store/

Being refurbished into a different business entirely?

Midlands Grimpeur

Was going to post the same thing. I thought they were franchises but might be wrong. Poor location can't have helped and I think specialized are pushing all retailers who stock them to offer a full range of bikes/components/apparel which I guess takes away the need for a concept store if you can get most items through your LBS or online.

Annoying as I had agreed a deal on a new tarmac, although fortunately I had not put the deposit down otherwise I would have been £400 out of pocket (they gave me no indication they were about to close when I agreed the purchase which is pretty bad as it was only a few days before they shut).

ben@31

Once visited a Specialized concept store when looking for a new frame. But they only sold S-Works framesets. Nicr paint, especially the glittery Sagan frame. But they were over my budget and they didn't sell "normal" Specialized frames.
Interestingly I found out there's no difference bewteeen the Specialized frame with Sora and the one with Dura-Ace, except colour. Might as well buy the Sora version and change the group set.

slowmart

If you look at the bottom of the link to the B'ham site you will see the overall owner of each concept store, operating as concept store (insert location)

While the site suggests a xmas refurb, Ananquest, who traded as Specialized B'ham have gone into liquidation
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03983192


But it's unusual that the website is still live given the date of the insolvency so maybe there's another operator looking to make the b'ham operation viable?

The rates and rent at Fort Dunlop must have been a heavy weight to carry when competing with their peers online.

I've always found Stafford to be vey good

Beatmaker

Interestingly I found out there's no difference bewteeen the Specialized frame with Sora and the one with Dura-Ace, except colour. Might as well buy the Sora version and change the group set.

There are four different framesets under the Tarmac model, not counting disc models. Specialized have always specced higher grade carbon further up the range, they also have three different frame designs.

buckmulligan

Beatmaker wrote:

Interestingly I found out there's no difference bewteeen the Specialized frame with Sora and the one with Dura-Ace, except colour. Might as well buy the Sora version and change the group set.

There are four different framesets under the Tarmac model, not counting disc models. Specialized have always specced higher grade carbon further up the range, they also have three different frame designs.

+1 they may have the same geometry and design, but they're not identical materials. The same also used to be true of the Allez, cheaper base models used cheaper A1 aluminium frames and the higher-end used lighter E5 aluminium frames.

And you'll also get much nicer wheels and finishing kit on the high-end models.

XTC2009

Slowmart wrote:

The rates and rent at Fort Dunlop must have been a heavy weight to carry when competing with their peers online.

It's a shame. I liked seeing all the range in one place. It looks like they were told to get out pretty sharpish, cos half the stock is abandoned in there! Like they took the bikes and ran!

slowmart

XTC2009 wrote:

Slowmart wrote:

The rates and rent at Fort Dunlop must have been a heavy weight to carry when competing with their peers online.

It's a shame. I liked seeing all the range in one place. It looks like they were told to get out pretty sharpish, cos half the stock is abandoned in there! Like they took the bikes and ran![/quote]

Or the landlord secured their premises and whatever stock was left.

Straight to liquidation isn’t good news and no doubt support from the factory and the UK operation went only so far as it’s a bad news day for the brand.

chippyk

It is/was in a dreadful location. Once got some S-works 6 shoes for £130 in there though.

super_prestige

Frank Wilson wrote:

Yes we have a weird situation in Chester whereby the Specialised Concept store is right next to the Bike Factory who coincidentally sell Specialised bikes.

Never understood it myself.

Their both owned by the same person.

foggymike

The Birmingham store is reopening in a week or so. It's being taken over by Certini who have the Plymouth store.

Frank Wilson

Super Prestige wrote:

Frank Wilson wrote:

Yes we have a weird situation in Chester whereby the Specialised Concept store is right next to the Bike Factory who coincidentally sell Specialised bikes.

Never understood it myself.

Their both owned by the same person.

That explains that then, cheers.

gethinceri

foggymike wrote:

The Birmingham store is reopening in a week or so. It's being taken over by Certini who have the Plymouth store.

Who also had an outlet in the basement of James Howells in Cardiff, which didn't last long.

chippyk

Gethinceri wrote:

foggymike wrote:

The Birmingham store is reopening in a week or so. It's being taken over by Certini who have the Plymouth store.

Who also had an outlet in the basement of James Howells in Cardiff, which didn't last long.

There was a Trek shop in Leekes in Coventry which didn’t last long. They had one of Lance’s TDF bikes on show. Put me right off.

RobertMTB

I can tell you what happened as I am an ex-employee of “Anaquest” also known as Phil and Sue.

This pair started off and sold “the bodyshop” franchises they owned to then own 2 bicycle stores one in Birmingham and one in nottingham. I was unfortunate enough to work in Nottingham.

The owner of the business opened it up in the worst location possible (we got ram-raided twice) and also didn’t pay for ANY marketing for the business. He was overly tight with wages and wouldn’t pay anyone above £18K a year including management until we made a million pounds turnover.

Sounds easy to do but believe me when no one know where it is and the owner is always micromanaging the business from his cushy home in Wales it ain’t!


He started off the business poaching me and a great workshop manager from Freewheel in Nottingham plus he took 3 members of staff from Evans so he really did have a strong team that started off happy until we realised the guy had no passion for cycling and in fact was a retailer (and a c*ck!)


Glad this has happened, guy deserves it!

Guymk2

‘Stands up from chair in the forum circle of chairs and waves’

I’m Guy and work at the Concept Store in Birmingham and have done for about 6 years now. If you have been in the store you may have well met me.

I thought I would pop in and try to clear up some of the rumours and personal feelings that have been expressed in this thread.

The store did cease trading 19th Dec 2017, the staff in store were told that day they have been made redundant and we had to leave the store. All out standing orders were to be taken care of by the then owner and we’re totally out of our control.

Now for the good news, we have now been taken over by the Certini Bicycle Company who also own the Bristol and Plymouth Concept Stores as well as their Certini stores. They have re-employed all the staff and the store has been open for the last few days.

We have more stock than ever before including some very rare very cool bikes!

We would be more than happy for any of you guys and gals to pop in and take a look around and would love to chat bikes with you!

Feel free to check out our Facebook and instagram pages, these will give you an idea of how the store is looking now.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, give us a call or pop in and see us.

Thanks.

lettingthedaysgoby

I keep meaning to come and have a look but it’s just such a horrible place to get to by bike.

slowmart

Guymk2 wrote:

‘Stands up from chair in the forum circle of chairs and waves’

I’m Guy and work at the Concept Store in Birmingham and have done for about 6 years now. If you have been in the store you may have well met me.

I thought I would pop in and try to clear up some of the rumours and personal feelings that have been expressed in this thread.

The store did cease trading 19th Dec 2017, the staff in store were told that day they have been made redundant and we had to leave the store. All out standing orders were to be taken care of by the then owner and we’re totally out of our control.

Now for the good news, we have now been taken over by the Certini Bicycle Company who also own the Bristol and Plymouth Concept Stores as well as their Certini stores. They have re-employed all the staff and the store has been open for the last few days.

We have more stock than ever before including some very rare very cool bikes!

We would be more than happy for any of you guys and gals to pop in and take a look around and would love to chat bikes with you!

Feel free to check out our Facebook and instagram pages, these will give you an idea of how the store is looking now.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, give us a call or pop in and see us.

Thanks.

Guy, Thanks for taking the time to post and share the good news. My best wishes to your colleagues and the new owners.

Guymk2

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

I keep meaning to come and have a look but it’s just such a horrible place to get to by bike.

Yeah it can be tough, it does depend a little bit where you are coming from. As staff we all ride in on a regular basis, but we are mainly based to the north of Birmingham and come in through Castle Vale which is very quiet!

Guymk2

Slowmart wrote:

Guy, Thanks for taking the time to post and share the good news. My best wishes to your colleagues and the new owners.

Thank you

londoncommuter

Guymk2 wrote:

‘Stands up from chair in the forum circle of chairs and waves’

I’m Guy and work at the Concept Store in Birmingham and have done for about 6 years now. If you have been in the store you may have well met me.

I thought I would pop in and try to clear up some of the rumours and personal feelings that have been expressed in this thread.

The store did cease trading 19th Dec 2017, the staff in store were told that day they have been made redundant and we had to leave the store. All out standing orders were to be taken care of by the then owner and we’re totally out of our control.

Now for the good news, we have now been taken over by the Certini Bicycle Company who also own the Bristol and Plymouth Concept Stores as well as their Certini stores. They have re-employed all the staff and the store has been open for the last few days.

We have more stock than ever before including some very rare very cool bikes!

We would be more than happy for any of you guys and gals to pop in and take a look around and would love to chat bikes with you!

Feel free to check out our Facebook and instagram pages, these will give you an idea of how the store is looking now.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, give us a call or pop in and see us.

Thanks.

Glad it's worked out for you and you've still got a job. Do you want to suggest a half price offer on the new S-Works shoes to celebrate the take over......

chippyk

Guymk2 wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

I keep meaning to come and have a look but it’s just such a horrible place to get to by bike.

Yeah it can be tough, it does depend a little bit where you are coming from. As staff we all ride in on a regular basis, but we are mainly based to the north of Birmingham and come in through Castle Vale which is very quiet!

I’d want to be sharp coming through Castle Vale, they’d have the hubcaps off a Jumbo Jet if it flew too low there.

keef66

I was just coming on here to say I'd had an email about the reopened store, but I see I'm too late as usual...