BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

someone should open a bike shop somewhere new...i doubt this will do well.. the more bike shops the better though i guess...

Will probably steal a few good mechanics from local shops who offer neither good pay, nor health insurance.

Interesting. I'm excited for it. I have a feeling I wouldn't be too excited if I was a local shop owner though.

I think it probably will do well. With the buying power Performance has, their prices are very good. I could see it being tough for some of the local shops to compete price wise. Not to mention selection.

I've gotten stuff by mail from them numerous times (sorry LBS's, but mainly because of selection, not even necesarily price) and I have always been very happy with their service.

It will remain to be seen how they approach building the community and service, Trek has been really good at building their business through community support. But a lot of newbies walk back out of bike shops from sticker shock, if a really price sensitive shop can get more people on bikes, it's a positive.

I've always been leery of the Scattante bikes, though. WTF is a Scattante? Sounds like Italian for "poop dance".

Does anyone know if this store is a chain, or a franchise? The Trek stores are franchises, right?

Correct on the Trek store.

Discuss

I was in one of their stores in Denver once, it was a fairly nice store. Like @edmonds59 I've done some mail order business with them based on selection and price. Their "house" brands like Scattante and their performance clothing and eyewear are generally pretty good deals.

This is the same plaza as Trader Joes and Office Depot I believe. Slightly less crazy parking and a more obvious front door than the Trek Store down the street.

This is certainly a sign that the sort of people who scout new locations for retail stores feel that Pittsburgh's bike culture is growing quite a bit. All you folks riding your bikes around in the snow this winter had something to do with that I'll bet. You'd NEVER have seen that even three years ago.

This is the same plaza as Trader Joes and Office Depot I believe. Slightly less crazy parking and a more obvious front door than the Trek Store down the street.

That's correct.

I've also heard there are some swanky stores moving into the Bakery Square compound.

i guess that's encouraging in a way. i mean these guys have the ability to do market analysis and whatnot. i would guess they wouldn't go somewhere that they don't think is a growth market.

This is good news. And what Eric said isn't to be underestimated.

Bakery Square will include the Pottery Barn from Shadyside I think, possibly also Williams Sonoma (same company). A movie theater too. There will be a Marriot Springhill Suites there and a very swank new health club. Plus all the development at the corner of Penn and the Circle is for a new Target Store. There's a lot of commercial development on tap in this district.

Anthropologie is going in there as well.

I've visited two of the bike shops here in PGH. Without naming names, one was okay, but very rude on the phone, the other.. I ordered and paid for a part in Oct 2008, and I'm still waiting for it.

I welcome a little competition, because right now it seems far easier and more reliable for me to order stuff online. Maybe the LBSs can get their act together. I'm happy to spend a little more to support a local business, but really, it should not be such an inconvenience for me to do so.

would guess they wouldn't go somewhere that they don't think is a growth market.

Or where they don't think they could eliminate the local competition.

I wonder how much taxpayer support is being provided (indirectly) to the BS stores.

It would not surprise me to see some of the most experienced mechanics end up here. If they can offer a decent wage, benefits, and year round employment, you'll probably see some familiar faces from other shops manning the work benches.

Performance was making offers to at least one local shop owner starting at least 4 years ago. I think PGH has been on quite a few national retailers' radar lately.

I've had special order issues with a shop or two in my time, but I've never been asked for money upfront, and I don't think I'd pay the full amount without merchandise.

One lesson I've learned--if you're getting a small-ish part that will be ordered from QBP, you're better off going to a larger shop (like, say TOP) because they can regularly meet the minimum order guidelines. A smaller shop may have to wait 'til they have enough in the queue to place your order.

@Lyle:

http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/12/17/daily6.html

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/rss/s_474579.html

"If they can offer a decent wage, benefits, and year round employment, you'll probably see some familiar faces from other shops manning the work benches."

Hit the nail on the head. There are some serious problems in the way that shop employment works, and a reason that many of the best mechanics and most knowledgeable bike folks find employment outside of the shop world. Shops that are able to offer more of a "career" path are able to hold onto and build talent and experience, and tend to rise to the top.

I wonder how much taxpayer support is being provided (indirectly) to the BS stores.

Because BS is basically a redevelopment of a brownfield site (ie previously industrial) I believe but could be wrong, that they qualify for TIF that allows them not to pay property taxes for a set amount of time. The Waterfront was also a case of this.

Great news! Always wanted one here. East Liberty area? Eh, we'll see...

I have ordered stuff online from them once or twice. I think it is good another shop is opening up. I just hope there is enough cyclist in Pittsburgh to keep all of the shops open in the east end.

Yes, it is a national type chain or franchise kind of thing. There's one in Columbus...I didn't like the folks at that store very much, so hopefully these guys will be better. I had a bad experience trying to buy a bicycle from them.

"Does anyone know if this store is a chain, or a franchise? "

I am pretty sure that all of their store are corporate stores.

Also, I think competition is a good thing. I think there is a large enough market for all the shops to survive. Though, some of them may have to change some strategies.

Performance wouldn't be opening a store if they thought they would have to steal customers to get by. Like many people are saying, it's a very positive sign.

After all, how many other cities have have two great cycling magazines like we do? Not to mention, we have a pretty awesome bicycle advocacy organization.

We technically have 4 great cycling magazines:

In order of newest to oldest (I think)

Bicycle Times

XXC

Urban Velo

Dirt Rag

I concur about competition, and what others have said about working environment. Some may find that chain retail isn't for them, but the benefits are likely far better than most shops can offer.

Will I shop there? Meh. Dunno. I work within a few blocks of Thick, and pass TOP Shadyside on the way home. That said, if they have a crazy blowout sale on bikes, and I wouldn't say no....

if the price is right I would definitely buy there!! I live near Pittsburgh Pro Bikes,(Squirrel Hill) and Trek Bikes,(Shadyside),but would never buy there because their prices are exorbitant.It might be due to their high rent.I like, and purchase from REI but would also consider buying from this new store.Competition is always good and helps to keep prices lower

performance is a good source for your "sundries" - not going to find anything uber-cool there. prices are competetive and will foster better prices at the LBS's.

i am surprised to see them move into an "urban" location as most PBS's are in suburban markets as they tend to appeal to a broader array of cyclists commonly found in suburban markets.

nonetheless, it will be interesting.

i digress, but I'd really like to see a true "frame shop" in pittsburgh - i.e. one that stocks nice steel, carbon, etc. frames that are actually in stock and/or buildable or even pre-built.

i am tired of seeing TREKS and special-ed's (even the high end carbon) ones on rack after rack.

i am not totally cool with the uber-yuppie vibe (even though I am a closet yuppie), but that shop in Manayunk/Philly - cannot think of the name, has some really cool bikes. it's like going to a mini-interbike every time you go there.

and on the opposite end of the spectrum, Kraynick's is also a very awesome resource to us as local cyclists and will be a sad day when/if it were not to be open any longer. it's like getting to shop in a bike museum. wpe

bump

They seem to be getting closer to opening.

Job fair there next week