Name: Chatt Town Scooters
Location: 324 N. Market St.
Contact information: 423-752-9195, www.chatt-townscooters.com
Products/services: Buying and selling new and used scooters, service for scooters and motorcycles
Price range: Brand new 2011 scooters range from $895 to $2,095
Age: Chatt Town Scooters opened in 2009
Startup investment: $30,000 for the initial stock of scooters, state and local licensing requirements and leasing the space
Why sell scooters? After Carter Todd, the store’s owner, bought his first scooter, he was surprised by the number of people who approached him about his vehicle. He talked with some friends, and they opened Chatt Town Scooters soon afterward.
Scooter advantages: Gas mileage is one of Todd’s top selling points. The Puma scooters sold at Chatt Town get about 85 miles per gallon. They’re also just fun to ride. “I enjoy going to work on a scooter 1,000 times better than driving in a car,” Todd said.
Who can ride? The size of a scooter’s engine determines whether a driver needs a motorcycle license or bike tags. Todd said he sells mostly 150cc scooters, but drivers don’t need a special endorsement on their drivers license to ride a 125cc and smaller engine.
Five-year goal: Open new stores in other Southern cities. The vehicles are a great way for low-income workers to ditch the bus and have a more reliable means of travel, he said. He hopes to open stores in other Southern cities, possibly Birmingham or Atlanta. “The South does not know scooters yet,” he said.