Industry News
"Would you like to come check out the love van?"
—Tyler James, the man behind the wheel of Pedro's biodiesel love van, to the female BRAIN editors.
LAGUNA BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—Patrick Fetzer came to Southern California because of bikes and stayed because of a girl.
LAGUNA BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—Chuck Densford saw his first mountain bike in 1981 and chucked a 15-year career as a mechanic wrenching on German machines named BMW, Mercedes and Porsche.
COSTA MESA, CA (BRAIN)—As a child in the 1960s, Mike Mulrooney cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the building that now houses Two Wheels One Planet and four decades later, he’s still showing up at the shop.
VAN NUYS, CA (BRAIN)—Easton-Bell Sports has named Donna L. Flood as its chief operating officer, effective Jan. 7, 2009.
COSTA MESA, CA (BRAIN)—Nine years ago, Paul Deem took a chance on a new retail location. In Orange County, where the strip mall is ubiquitous, a local developer had pitched him on space in a strip mall with a twist.
BIG FLATS, NY (BRAIN)—NoTubes.com recently filed a lawsuit against Specialized Bicycle Components alleging that certain rims and wheels of Specialized infringe U.S. Patent No. 7,334,846 (the “‘846 patent”).
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—Mike Milano lives in the heart of surf culture. This ocean side town—made famous by Jan and Dean’s 1963 summer hit Surf City—is a Mecca for low-tech, low-cost, high-style beach cruisers.
When you call Giant's toll free line, don't expect to be bored to tears listening to elevator music while you wait. Instead, your ears are filled with voices of Giant athletes and dealers telling their stories.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—Despite the slowing economy, high-end bikes continue to reign supreme at Huntington Beach’s Surf City Cyclery.
“We just sold a $10,000 bike last week,” said Surf City manager TJ Jordan, citing a Cervélo R3 spec’d with Campy’s new 11-speed gruppo and a $3,000 wheelset.
ORANGE, CA (BRAIN)—Among the retail lessons John Pavlisin has learned from his father is the importance of owning your building.
"Can I look at a twit?"
—BRAIN Publisher Marc Sani to Interbike's Rich Kelly asking if he could see a comment from Kelly's Twitter account on his iPhone.
FULLERTON, CA (BRAIN)—Mike Franze’s sales are up 25 percent this year so far compared to last year and were up in the month of October. So why does he sound worried?
TUSTIN, CA (BRAIN)—Robert Kahler minces no words when he describes himself as a lousy businessman and a reluctant retailer.
TUSTIN, CA (BRAIN)—As he approaches 2009, The Path owner Tani Walling is resuming an offensive position after spending this year on the defense due to soft sales at the high-end and the aftermath from devastating wildfires that closed local trails in late 2007.
LAGUNA WOODS, CA (BRAIN)—When asked if the sputtering economy is affecting business, Mary Ann Iglesias replies confidently, “I have to think we’re somewhat immune.”
LADERA RANCH, CA (BRAIN)—Jeff Davis has been on a big learning curve since opening his store exactly four years ago.
IRVINE, CA (BRAIN)—Jax Bicycle Center owner Dave Hanson got his start as a bicycle shop owner in a rather unusual place—television’s “The Newlywed Game.”
LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN)—Marcel Calborn is a retail icon with some impressive numbers behind his name.