A version of this feature ran in the January issue of BRAIN.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For our January magazine edition, we introduce this year's State of Retail panel members and their businesses, representing 224-plus years of experience in the industry and specialty retail.
LANCASTER, Calif.: Paul Avila, owner Paul's Squeaky Wheel Bike Shop
20-plus years of retail experience, including six in the bike shop
In 1982, I started racing at the local BMX track, and in the 1990s, I switched to road, track, and mountain bike racing. In the 2000s, I switched over to cyclocross and promoted races. For 23 years, my “day job” was customer service/data manager for a small company. I began in the bike industry as a part-time mechanic in 2019; I’d maintained all of my bikes since the 1980s, so I knew how to wrench, plus I’d attended Doug Fattic's framebuilding class. I wanted to work in a shop so I could spread the knowledge I had acquired over a lifetime of cycling to the next generation of mechanics and cyclists.
I purchased the business in 2024 in a classic "employee becomes the owner" story. The original owner started this shop in 2022 as a second location. I had been working here exclusively, so it was a smooth transition. I work full-time, and I have two part-time employees. We focus primarily on service and sales of new and used bikes. We sell more e-bikes than any other type of bike. Our customer base is mostly commuters and weekend mountain bike riders.
SOMERVILLE, N.J.: Marc Cianfrone, owner Pops Bike Shop
40-plus years of experience
My father started teaching me about fixing bikes when I was 10. My first professional bike shop job was in 1984 when I was 20. In 1989, I was hired by WSI (Western States Imports) as an inside sales representative, and in 1990, I became an outside rep for Diamondback/Centurion. By 1997, I was back in retail, managing a multi-store chain, and in 2005, I moved into a management position for a family-owned multi-sport retailer. It closed at the end of 2016. I opened Pops in 2017 and added a second larger location in 2019. When the landlords of the original smaller store retired and sold the building in 2022, we consolidated all operations to our main, larger store in Somerville New Jersey. We are a family-focused shop that serves enthusiast customers and sponsors the local race teams as well. We have five employees.
BUFFALO, N.Y: Jim Costello, sales director Bert's Bikes and Fitness
35 years of experience
I've always loved riding my bike. I got into road racing in the late 1980s and started working part time in a shop in 1990. From then on, it's all that I've done. A bicycle can mean so many different things to people. That's what drew me in. The variety and the uses. You meet an eclectic group of interesting people with the bicycle being the common denominator. The bike won't change the world but perhaps the people that ride them can. Bert's Bikes and Fitness is a multi-generational family business started by Bertram Dunn in 1972. We have 10 locations in Western New York and Erie, Pennsylvania. We employ between 100-130 people, and our focus is family bikes, electric bikes, fitness equipment, and service.
MITCHELL, S.D.: Kourtney Denne, co-owner Ron’s Bike Shop
10 years of experience
I’m a mom of two, an accountant by training, and someone who found her way into the bike industry through both family and passion. My journey began in 2015 when I met my husband, Cody, the third-generation owner of his family’s shop that opened in 1965. We officially took over ownership of Ron’s Bike Shop in 2020, continuing the legacy while modernizing and expanding it. Today, we operate as a community-focused Giant, Liv, and Cannondale dealer committed to selling bikes and creating a healthier, more connected community. Between organizing group rides, youth programs, and seasonal events, we’ve shaped the shop into a hub for families, new riders, and lifelong cyclists alike. My background in accounting has been an invaluable piece of this journey — strengthening our operations, helping us grow sustainably, and allowing me to combine business strategy with the joy of watching people discover the freedom of riding a bike, including our children who are growing up on two wheels and finding that same passion.
SANTA ROSA, Calif.: Sophia Emad, social media/event specialist and sales associate Breakaway Bikes
10 years of experience
Working at a local bike shop was my first job. I got hired at age 16. Now I am 27, and have worked in the industry ever since, including working at a few different local shops, and being an inside and outside sales representative for two different manufacturers. When I first entered the industry, I had no idea I would still be in it this many years later, but I’m so glad that I am. I have been working at Breakaway since COVID, and the family that we have here is so near and dear to my heart. Breakaway Bikes has been in business since 2014. It’s a small local shop specializing in mountain and kids’ bikes but welcomes all disciplines. We have one location, seven employees, and we all do a little bit of everything. Our shop is centered in the heart of Sonoma wine country and a stone’s throw away from Annadel State Park, a renowned Northern California mountain bike destination. We pride ourselves on being a part of the community and supporting local grassroots racing and rider development.
VICTORIA, British Columbia: Jeff Mitchell, general manager Oak Bay Bikes
25 years of experience
My interest in bikes started when I was around 10 when my dad would take me out for rides. I got my first proper mountain bike when I was 13, a Univega Alpina and took some mechanic courses at The Cyclepath in Calgary. By the time I was 15, I was racing mountain bikes regularly and working as a bike builder at a local shop. I worked as a bike courier for a few years after high school and have been working in the bicycle industry exclusively ever since, mainly in the service departments of shops in Calgary, Vancouver, Whistler, and Victoria. I'm currently the general manager of Oak Bay Bikes in Victoria, British Columbia. The shop has been in business for 90 years, and it has 25 staff members working in one location. We sell mountain, road, gravel, and city bikes, with a selection of both acoustic and electric, and we operate a large service department and suspension center.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio: Matthew Schieferstein, manager/bike fitter Gear Up Velo
20 years of experience in specialty retail, including 10-plus in bike shops
My entry into the bicycle industry began in March 2015, while I was pursuing my MBA. In addition to all the typical "hats" a full-time employee is required to wear in a bike shop (sales, technical service, management, buying, etc.), my primary focus is bike fitting. Prior to the bicycle industry, I was pursuing a career as a full-time professional musician, playing for hundreds of people and making tens of dollars. What drew me to the bicycle industry was simply my passion for the sport and my curiosity regarding how the bicycle works. What fosters my continued interest is the desire to help people pursue cycling in any capacity they choose, in any way I can. Gear Up Velo is an independent bicycle shop that Brian and Kate Rybak opened in early 2020, and I was brought on in December 2023. We specialize in providing exceptional quality in sales, mechanical work, and fitting services. We strive to be a shop that has the knowledge, experience, and passion to help "sell the lifestyle."
WHITEHOUSE, Texas: Laurie Simpson, manager/buyer Simpson's Fitness & Adventure Sports
26 years of experience
I grew up around the family business — my dad opened Simpson’s in 1980, the same year I was born. At first, Simpson’s sold sailboats, and it added bikes in 1987. I crashed my bike at age 7 and avoided bikes for years. In high school and college, I cheered and trained athletes in sprinting and weightlifting until injuries caught up with me. I was told I wouldn’t be able to walk by 30 if I kept training the way I did. At 18, I secretly took my twin brother’s race bike and rediscovered cycling. The freedom and focus I found on the trail beat any workout on a football field. Before that, I was managing retail stores in the mall, but I realized selling bikes meant selling health and lifelong fitness, not just clothing. Now my husband and I run the family shop, lead our local NICA youth team, and help grow our community’s trails. We have two sales staff and four bike mechanics.
BENTONVILLE, Ark.: Brent Van Eps, co-owner Trackstand Cyclery and Tavern
38 years of experience
I started working in the bicycle industry in 1989 and have worked solely in shops in Southern California and Colorado, except for about a year as a mechanic with Canfield Bikes. My wife and I opened up our first shop in 2019, then opened and sold a couple more before moving back to Bentonville earlier this year. We opened Trackstand Cyclery on Aug. 1, 2025. It includes a tavern in the back half of the shop that should be open by late January 2026. We’re service- and repair-focused with a nice selection of repair parts (brake pads, tires, chains, etc.). We offer super fast turnarounds, which is a huge part of our success. The Tavern will serve as a meeting place after rides as well as a place to sit and wait for your bike while maybe enjoying a beverage or two. This is our only location, and my wife and I are the only staff members. Bicycles have been my life since I was a young kid. Helping others enjoy this sport and working on bikes for a living have been super rewarding, and I still love it.
