Dear Don Walker,
I've been wanting to go to your NAHBS for the last few years but could never seem to pull it together because of schedule conflicts or travel costs or whatever. So, when you scheduled the show in Denver this year I got all excited. Cool, a “trade” show that's local, I can hit it in a day and sleep in my own bed!! Yippeee!
So I went on Saturday and acted like a consumer, even paid retail for the ticket in. While walking the floor I was amazed at how many people were there. Turnout seemed strong. Overall, the show was good with plenty of really intricate detail wrapped around bikes and parts and accessories of all types. I got excited!
What I did notice was it seemed to feel more like a general bike type consumer show than a handmade bicycle show and that scored major brownie points with me! There were even some mainstream’esque brands like Continental, Fizik and Shimano on the floor and that was a big plus!
Frankly, Don I don't know you but at the end of day when I got in my car to drive home to my very own pillow I thought, you're on to something here. With that said, I have a request of you. Don, will you please take this concept and roll it out to a few other key cities? Please?
The bike industry needs you because up until Interbike announcing a consumer day this coming September no one seems to have figured it out. I think you may be cracking the code!
So don't do this thing once a year, do it two or three times a year. Come back to Denver (I'll show up again and pay retail!) and also do it in Los Angeles or Chicago or New York. I think you’ve discovered a cool niche concept that can be profitable and sustainable!
OK, there were some dudes there with beards and handlebar mustaches wearing flood pants and stuff like that. But there were lots more men and women strolling the aisles who were simply into two wheeled things of all types. They were true consumers and that fact is what the industry needs to keep bringing it to the streets!
Sincerely,
Your new friend,
Gregg Bagni
P.S. I realize you got hammered a bit on Sunday attendance because it snowed balls in Denver but please don’t let that discourage you one bit!!!!
