The idea was to create a friendly bike shop. The Chapman University students didn’t graduate with business degrees, but they knew bikes.
Erik Wright studied political science, and his friend, Evan Minogue, was a film major. Wright worked in a bike shop throughout school, and Minogue raced. They both felt some bike shops catered to somewhat of an exclusive crowd.
“We kind of got the idea that biking could be ‘cliquey,’ and there were some shops where you need to be wearing spandex to fit in well,” Minogue said. “We wanted to create a shop for everyone, and that’s why we started with Dutch bikes. They’re classic and built for riding day in and day out.”
The duo spent a year coming up with a plan to create a bike shop with a “nonintimidating, friendly retail platform.” They opened Wheelhouse, 528 Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara, three years ago.
“One thing I was surprised with is the loyalty of the client base in Santa Barbara,” Wright said. “When REI came in, we thought it would be a major issue, but it didn’t have a major impact at all because there are a number of loyal customers who support local businesses. It’s a lot of fun, we have a lot of autonomy; it’s hard work, but there’s a high level of reward.”
But come Tuesday, they will have to pump their brakes. Wright said the three-year lease has come to an end, the 3,300-square-foot building is in the process of being sold and exercising the lease option would mean a major increase in rent.
“It would be substantially more money per square feet,” he said. “So we’ll close the retail operation, but our goal is to take the Web presence we have and become an informative, useful, helpful site for cycling in the Santa Barbara community.”
Wheelhouse specialized in Dutch and utilitarian bicycles that cater to riders who sport any type of clothing, can manage any weather and are low maintenance. They are equipped with features such as fully enclosed chain cases, fenders, skirt/coat guards, dynamo lighting systems and heavy-duty racks.
Although there are plenty of “rodies” and mountain bikers in Santa Barbara, Wright and Minogue tried to emphasize that bikes go beyond a hobby.
“In terms of overall sales, we see it in trends with Giant, Specialized and Trek, more pieces cater toward the urban market,” Wright said. “The next couple of years we’ll see the biggest expansion in the industry.”
Although a handful of bike shops opened around the same time as Wheelhouse, its business has increased each of the past three years. Brick-and-mortar retailers aren’t going anywhere, especially with a lot of new riders breaking into the scene, Wright said.
“There will always be a place for independent bike dealers, and they will continue to balance using brick-and-mortar shops as the main revenue stream and getting a nice side cushion from online commerce,” he said.
When the college tandem hit the Santa Barbara biking community, the biking retailers were somewhat disconnected. But over the past three years, Wright said, they’ve started to work together.
Cyclist John Lawrence said Wheelhouse was a competitive retailer that had a lot to offer.
“I’m sad,” he said. “They are always involved in the community and are proactive in the underground and creative scene.”
The riders are thankful for the community’s generous support. While Wheelhouse may not be on the corner of Anacapa and Cota streets anymore, Wright and Minogue hope the next generation of retailers will continue to support the Biking Coalition, grow the local scene and strive to better the community.
“We hope that we helped bring a voice to the Santa Barbara biking community,” Minogue said.
— Noozhawk business writer Alex Kacik can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook and Pinterest.
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