NBDA: Bicycle Retail Radio

Send us a textIn this episode of Bicycle Retail Radio, Chad Pickard, NBDA board member and owner of Spoke N Sport in Sioux Falls, SD, speaks with Tobie DePauw, Affiliate Wrangler at People for Bikes and owner of Mordecai Book Building and Stewardship Retail. Tobie talks about the value that brick and mortar retail stores have and how powerful the human connection is in creating a community around your store. He also discusses how to make sure that your customer's experience in and out of your store is fantastic so that they fall in love with cycling and become a lifetime customer.Support the show

Send us a textNow is an uncertain time for retail. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing retailers to make difficult decisions like whether to close their store or not, whether or not to lay off employees, whether to ask for rent deferral or not, etc. We think that now it is more important than ever to come together and share ideas and practices between retailers all over the nation.For the fourth episode in this series, Fred Clements interviews Gayle Shanks, owner of Changing Hands Bookstore with locations in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, and former president of the American Booksellers Association. Gayle has cultivated a passionate community around her bookstore and while talking to Fred, finds the similarities between the struggles that both bike and booksellers have faced for the last 20 years. You can see some of the programs discussed in the episode at Changing Hands' website www.changinghands.com.Support the show

Send us a textNow is an uncertain time for retail. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing retailers to make difficult decisions like whether to close their store or not, whether or not to lay off employees, whether to ask for rent deferral or not, etc. We think that now it is more important than ever to come together and share ideas and practices between retailers all over the nation.For the third episode in this series, Ray Keener interviews Lester Binegar, General Manager/Operator/Bookkeeper for University Bicycles in Boulder, Colorado. Ray and Lester discuss why University Bikes has stayed open and the shifts in business practices that they have made in order to do so.Support the show

Send us a textNow is an uncertain time for retail. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing retailers to make difficult decisions like whether to close their store or not, whether or not to lay off employees, whether to ask for rent deferral or not, etc. We think that now it is more important than ever to come together and share ideas and practices between retailers all over the nation.For the second episode in this series, Fred Clements interviews Peter Henry, owner of Landry's Bicycles in Boston, Massachusetts, and NBDA Board Member about what he is experiencing in Massachusetts at this time and what procedures he has put in place for his business. Peter shares his concerns with being so close to the "hot spot" in New York as well as how he communicates procedures to keep all 7 Landry's stores informed and safe.Support the show

Send us a textNow is an uncertain time for retail. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing retailers to make difficult decisions like whether to close their store or not, whether or not to lay off employees, whether to ask for rent deferral or not, etc. We think that now it is more important than ever to come together and share ideas and practices between retailers all over the nation.For the first episode in this series, Brandee Lepak, Owner of Global Bikes in Pheonix, AZ, and President of the NBDA interviews Tim Krone, owner of Pedal in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and NBDA Board Member about what he is experiencing in Michigan at this time and what procedures he has put in place for his business.Support the show

Send us a textEach customer comes to you with a different story. As a retailer, you have the choice of how you interact with your customer and how to influence how they feel when they leave your store. Brett Flemming, owner of Efficient Velo Tools, joins Fred Clements in this episode to share his insights and advice on how to meet every customer with aggressive agreeability and ensure they leave your shop with a smile.Support the show

Send us a textKristi Mohn is a gravel coach, a champion for women’s cycling, and one of the original organizers of Dirty Kanza. She fell into cycling organically when she and her husband were looking for a way to stay fit. As a Kansan seeking adventure, finding her way to gravel and Dirty Kanza was a no-brainer. In this episode of Bicycle Retail Radio, Kristi shares her thoughts on how and why gravel cycling has grown and what she’s doing to increase women’s participation in the sport. You’ll also learn what barriers women face as they try to get started in cycling, and how bike shops can help. Kristi also offers a peek behind the scenes of Dirty Kanza, from gratifying finish line moments to the joys and challenges of pulling off the event.Support the show

Send us a textIt’s no secret that the relationship between dealers and vendors can be filled with tension. A strong relationship, however, can give shops a competitive edge as vendors go the extra mile to help you to keep your customers happy. From product advice to supply chain insights, your vendors are an essential part of your success.In this episode of Bicycle Retail Radio, James Ayres, Domestic Sales Manager at Haro Bicycles, and Phil Cohen, NBDA board member and owner of Chain Reaction Bicycles, throw open the doors on their thriving dealer/vendor relationship so that you, too, can enjoy the benefits of a match made in heaven. Support the show

Send us a textIan Christie was a teenager when he cleaned bathrooms and did basic bike builds in a bike shop in exchange for parts. He eventually worked his way to a paying gig on the sales floor and realized this was the career path for him. He acquired Summit Bicycles when it had two locations in the Bay Area, and he’s expanded it to five, with a staff of 45-60 full-time-equivalent staff members across the company. In this episode of Bicycle Retail Radio, Ian talks about the challenges of expanding your business and managing your shifting role as an owner when your business grows. You’ll hear Ian’s thoughts on how good bike shops (even your competitors) are good for the industry as a whole, and the opportunities he sees for his company in the coming years. Support the show

Send us a textMike DuVarney, Executive Director of the BMX Foundation, has the best job in the world: putting kids on bikes—and his enthusiasm for it is contagious. In this episode of Bicycle Retail Radio, you’ll learn how the BMX Foundation is igniting passion for cycling by bringing STE(A)M programs and BMX athletes into schools across the country. Even if your shop doesn’t stock BMX bikes, you can still work with your local schools and camps to bring a Read to Ride, Track Modeling, or BMX STEM Program to your area, because kids on bikes today become adults on bikes tomorrow. The BMX Foundation is creating a pipeline of future cyclists while enhancing STE(A)M education and buildingkids’ confidence on and off the bike. Support the show

Send us a textKaren Weiner and Brett Thurber opened a bike shop ten years ago in California’s Bay Area with four e-bikes on consignment, and no previous bike shop experience—an asset that enabled them to bring fresh eyes and a creative approach to creating a mission-driven business model. They began by operating out of their apartment and delivering bikes by trailer, and today, The New Wheel has two locations, an offsite service center, and 28 employees. In this episode of Bicycle Retailer Radio, Karen Weiner talks about the challenges and benefits of being an e-bike only retailer and how they’ve built their business around the unique needs of the e-bike consumer. Karen also talks candidly about the tension between dealer and bike manufacturer needs and goals, and how The New Wheel leverages their service department to enhance the rider experience and build customer loyalty. Support the show

Send us a textLearn how to roll up your sleeves and dig into your shop’s data to become more profitable in this episode of Bicycle Retailer Radio. Joseph Du Bois opened his first Trek store in 2006, survived the 2008 recession, and now owns nine Florida Trek locations that have put customers on 50,000 bikes. Using a values-oriented philosophy and sales-driven mindset, Du Bois has mastered the art and science of running profitable, economically resilient bike shops. In this podcast, he shares how he makes data-driven decisions to optimize inventory turn and how his shops offer services to offset low product margins. You’ll also learn what happened when Du Bois downsized three shops into smaller locations, and the formula heuses for managing and calculating his payroll budget. No bike shop owner can afford to miss this episode. Support the show

Send us a textPat Hus, former show director of Interbike, joins us again to interview John David, COO of USA BMX. Pat and John have a great conversation about how to get more kids on bikes, how retailers can benefit from their local BMX track, and about their passion for the industry. Support the show

Send us a textIn this episode, Morgan Lommele, Director of State + Local Policy at People for Bikes, interviews Gary Sjoquist, Director of Advocacy at Quality Bicycle Products. Gary was the industry's first full-time advocate and has continued to do great work as an advocacy director for 22 years. Gary talks about how he got started and shares some of his favorite stories from his years as an advocate.Support the show

Send us a textFred Clements is back to interview James Moore, owner of Moore's Bicycle Shop in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and former NBDA Board Member, about his passion for sharing the joy of cycling with his local recovery centers. James has been speaking in addiction recovery centers for about 3 years after losing his son, Jeffrey to a heroin overdose in 2015. Listen in to hear about James' process and how you could get involved with your local recovery centers or local businesses.Support the show

Send us a textNBDA Board Member and owner of Spoke-n-Sport Chad Pickard talks with Stuart Hunter of Roll: Bicycle Company about his best practices and what he sees for the future of the industry. Listen in to learn about profitability, customer retention, competition, marketing, and more!Support the show

Send us a textChris Cocalis, President and CEO of Pivot Cycles, joins Rod Judd, Membership and Development Director at People for Bikes, to talk about how he started in the bike industry and to get his take on the current state of the industry. Chris and Rod talk tariffs, retail, supplier behavior, and Chris gives his input on what he thinks the industry needs to be even more successful.Support the show

Send us a textFred Clements, former executive director of the NBDA, returns in this episode to talk to Joe Nocella, Owner of 718 Cyclery and creator of Bike Shop Day. Bike Shop Day (www.bikeshopday.com) serves to connect the independent bike shop (in all shapes and forms) and our community through inclusiveness, promoting a healthy lifestyle and sustainable local business practices. Learn how you can get your shop involved for this year's Bike Shop Day!Support the show

Send us a textIn this episode, Amelia Kegel, NBDA Board Member and Co-Owner of Wheel & Sprocket, talks with Jenn Dice, COO of People for Bikes. Listen in to two passionate advocates for the industry share their insights on bike safety, local and national advocacy, why bike shops should get involved, and how you can help at any and all levels.Support the show

Send us a textListen in on a great conversation with Pat Hus, former Interbike show director, and Todd Sadow, Founder and President of Epic Rides, as they discuss how retailers can leverage large events to grow retail sales.  If your foot traffic is down and the race event participation is up… How can we use these large events to drive demand in our retail locations?Support the show