Eric Wagner, left, helps Terry Cotter look at a selection of bicycles at Cycle Sports Concepts on Main Street.Name: Cycle Sport Concepts
Location: 516 E. Main St., Chattanooga
Products/services: The bike shop sells a full line of bicycles, with emphasis on the Specialized brand of bikes. The store also stocks helmets, shoes, socks, clothes and other accessories. Bike repair on any brand is available, and the store also offers custom-fit shoes and bike seats. Using video camera imagery and heat-sensitive measuring materials, shop employees can create shoes and a bike saddle that fits each user individually.
Age: The shop will celebrate its grand opening on July 29.
Startup investment: $200,000
Anticipated annual sales: $800,000
Target market: Eric Wagner, managing partner at the bike shop, wants everyone to feel comfortable at his store, whether they be first-time riders or elite trail bikers.
Biggest hurdle: "Making sure that when somebody walks in the door and asks for something, that we have it," he said. While any shop can special-order a particular nut or bolt, the key is to have it when someone walks in. As a new store, he doesn't have the accumulated boxes of spare parts that many older, more established shops have.
Biggest reward: Wagner said the biggest reward has been local Chattanoogans welcoming him to town.
Challenges in the future: Marketing is always the biggest difficulty, he said. It's important but difficult to reach out to bikers all over the city in order to get them to try out his shop.
Lesson learned: "You can only do so much in one day."
Five-year goal: Wagner would like to double the size of his store, which is 1,700 square feet. Since his building has room to grow, he won't have to change locations to expand, he said.
- Compiled by Ellis Smith, esmith@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6315.