8/14/2023 0 Comments Bicycle garage inc![]() One of the original four partners took sole ownership of Bicycle Garage, Inc. The new Indianapolis store in Castleton performed better than anyone's wildest dreams.Įventually two of the original four shareholders left the business to pursue other endeavors. Over the next three years, the two Bicycle Garage operations expanded and upgraded their product lines to be among the best specialty bicycle retailers in the industry. This advanced system allowed us to better control our business. Additionally, we were developing our own computer system that was often more advanced than our suppliers. ![]() Our original location was 3,000 square feet in one of the strip malls near the Castleton Square Mall on Indy's northeast side.īicycle Garage Indy was a model for many up-and-coming shops in the Midwest because of its high traffic location and well merchandised look. In early 1983, these discussions led to a partnership among the four of us and we started Bicycle Garage of Indy, Inc. remains in this location today and is a very highly regarded specialty bicycle retailer. They later expanded into the adjoining space, and it appeared as it does today. After a year or so, they got a small location one block from campus on Kirkwood Avenue. They carried a low quality bike line and a few choice accessories and found it necessary to work two jobs to keep their own business afloat. They had started in a small garage in an alley just off Kirkwood Avenue. ![]() We began discussions with the two young college students who had started Bicycle Garage in Bloomington in the early 1980s. I would then go around the neighborhood flogging my mowing services. I was the guy in shop class that was printing my own lawn mowing business cards at the age of 12. One of the owners got to chatting with us and commented that a large shop in Indy had just declared bankruptcy and suggested there was an opportunity there. We stopped into Bicycle Garage in Bloomington just to check out the latest in cycling gear. Two years later, I was in Bloomington along with a buddy of mine who also had taken the trip to Knoxville and who also worked at Lilly. We were all dog tired but very proud of our effort. After day four, I thought I was sitting directly on my seatpost - I had "hit the wall." Luckily, my friend had told me about "the wall," so I was prepared for it. I'll never forget the three mile climb to the top of Gratz Mountain and I'll never forget hitting 50 miles per hour going down the other side of Jellico Mountain, TN. I made it through the hills of Kentucky but just barely. When we pushed off, the adrenaline kicked in. It's amazing what you can do with the support and camaraderie of your fellow cyclists. This is when I learned that cycling is basically a social undertaking. What I did have was the company of five other guys that were probably thinking the same thing. It would be the scariest challenge I had ever undertaken and I had little confidence I could do it. The trip would take 6 days and require 100 miles per day (fully loaded with 40 pounds of gear!). In retrospect, the planning and training was almost as great as the trip itself - almost. We roped four other guys into doing this ride and had many fun evenings planning our route and where we might camp each night. He provided continual encouragement without which I would have given up on the goal. How to ride in traffic, how to climb, how to signal your intentions, how to draft, the importance of calling out road hazards, etc. My friend was a long time rider and really taught me the nuances of riding. We would often ride loaded with our touring gear because that amount of weight can really affect your balance. With six weeks to go till blastoff, we trained about 100 miles a week. I guess I thought I deserved it because of the misery of kicking my smoking habit. ![]() ![]() I quit smoking and went out and bought everything in sight - touring bike, front and rear racks / panniers, tent, air mattress, mess kit, etc. My friend said he was completely serious - he was laying down the gauntlet and I took the dare. A friend of mine (who worked for IBM and who was also a heavy smoker) said,"let's quit smoking and ride from Indy to Knoxville to the 1980 World's Fair." I nearly fell to my knees laughing out loud. At the age of 32, I was working with Eli Lilly and Company and was a two pack a day smoker. Many people ask: "How did you get started in this business?" "On a dare" is the short answer. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |