New Partnership Comes with Opportunities
Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) Two family-owned bicycle shops in Central Wisconsin are coming closer together, to the benefit of local bicyclists.
Hostel Shoppe in Stevens Point, a family-owned sporting goods store which specializes in recumbent bicycles, was purchased by Breanna VanDeHey, sales manager at local sporting goods store and bicycle destination, The Sports Den.
“I am very excited for Hostel Shoppe to once again become the go-to store in Stevens Point for all things cycling related, from kids bikes, high end road bikes, mountain bikes, electric assist bikes and trikes, and of course, service!” VanDeHey said.
Both stores have operated in their communities for decades. The Hostel Shoppe began as a small retail space in 1974 by Rolf and Barb Garthus selling Nordic ski equipment and bicycles. After expanding in the ‘80s with camping gear and kayaks, the business took off once it started offering recumbent bicycles.
“Upright bikes have always been a key component of our success,” said Rolf. “Recumbents simply provided a way to give those who were not comfortable on an upright bike a way to enjoy all the benefits of cycling.”
Hostel Shoppe has built a nationally known reputation as a recumbent bicycle business offering high end brands like Catrike and HP Velotechnik, ICE trikes, Hase, TerraTrike, Azub, and Greenspeed. The last five years, it has expanded its market through online sales. Its focus on recumbent bicycles stems from Rolf’s own enthusiasm for the riding style as an alternative to the traditional bike.
“As I entered my forties, biking on my road bike was really starting to hurt. Sore neck, back, butt and hands were causing me to do shorter rides and ride less often,” he said.
After spotting a recumbent bike at a bike show in Chicago thirty years ago, he immediately ordered one.
“After a short time getting used to the balance and handling, I was hooked. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a better way to ride and I need to tell people about this,’” Rolf said. “At that moment, the Hostel Shoppe recumbent business was born.”
The Sports Den began in 1973 as Nelson Bike & Camping on 14th Street in Marshfield and underwent several evolutions and another name change before becoming The Sports Den under current owner Denny Riedel, VanDeHey’s father. Today, it’s the city’s premier bike shop and service center, focusing on traditional bikes.
Even with VanDeHey’s purchase of Hostel Shoppe, things will be business as usual at The Sports Den as she will still be managing the store while getting to know her new employees. Hostel Shoppe’s focus will remain on recumbent bicycles while building up its traditional bike inventory.
“The future for Hostel Shoppe is exciting. Rolf and Barb have built an amazing business for someone to walk into! Recumbent sales are continuing to grow across the country and the variety of customers that are utilizing them is amazing,” she said.
Purchasing the store wasn’t originally a thought for VanDeHey when Rolf first called The Sports Den about nine months ago to ask how summer bike sales were going, something not uncommon between Denny and other bike shops as a way to get a pulse on trends and share industry related news.
After taking the call, VanDeHey decided it had been awhile since she’d stopped by Hostel Shoppe and decided to visit.
“I have always admired their building and thought they had a great-looking sales floor. To be honest, I was snooping!” she said. “I wanted to see how they were displaying products, how they had things priced, and how their service center was doing! Rolf was nice enough to give me a full tour of the store and we had a really long talk about the direction of the bicycle industry and retail sales as a whole.”
The conversation turned to Rolf and Barb’s plans to retire, and he asked outright if VanDeHey was interested.
“I laughed, thinking he was joking, politely said no and changed the subject. I never thought he was serious!” she said.
Though at first hesitant to consider the idea since Hostel Shoppe is twice the size of The Sports Den in sales, staffing, and square footage, she became convinced after learning more about the business.
The new relationship between the two stores comes with many opportunities to share strengths and improve experience for customers. Since both carry many of the same brands, such as Specialized bicycles, The North Face, Smartwool, and Salomon, customers can get products and services with a faster turnaround time.
As a community-focused store hosting many group rides, bike events, and instructional courses, plus partnering with youth cycling groups like the Marshfield Mountain Bike Club, The Sports Den has been an active promoter of local biking culture and has developed close relationships with its customers.
“This local attachment is something that I love at The Sports Den and I am eager to cultivate it at Hostel Shoppe,” said VanDeHey. “I think there are many areas within Stevens Point that Hostel Shoppe can connect with residents to expand the love of cycling in Central Wisconsin.”
One of those ways was the Midwest Recumbent Rally, started in 1993 to give riders a chance to try out the “strange machines” and visit with recumbent riders. The event will not be hosted in 2019, but the Hostel Shoppe will provide one-on-one assistance to interested riders over the summer.
In the future, VanDeHey hopes to work with the Stevens Point Mountain Bike club, Green Circle Trail and Standing Rocks trail development, Point Area Single Track Association (PASTA), and Stevens Point health systems and schools.
“Hopefully this partnership will also allow cycling in our respective communities to grow,” she said. “Stevens Point has developed some amazing trail systems, and I think Marshfield could gain a lot by having a tighter connection with the people that helped develop the Green Circle and Standing Rocks trail systems. “
The Sports Den could also benefit from Hostel Shoppe’s marketing success.
”The Sports Den has never had a dedicated marketing person, and there are some opportunities that we have missed because we just didn’t know the right avenues to use to get the word to people in a way that would engage them,” said VandeHey. “The Hostel Shoppe has excelled in this field, creating a nationally recognized name for itself as a leader in the recumbent industry.”
Hostel Shoppe will invest heavily in staff training this fall and winter, particularly in the service department. There is currently space for up to six mechanics, which will allow the shop to emerge as a leader in the area for repair times, something in which The Sports Den thrives.
“Pat and Brett have really stepped up in our service the past few years and while this is our busiest time of year, they have continued to maintain amazingly fast turnaround time for bike repairs and special orders,” she said. “Our sales reps repeatedly tell us that we have the shortest wait times for repairs than all their other stores in their territory.”
The Sports Den will likely hire a full-time sales position in the next few months to prepare for fall. Anyone with a great personality who loves cycling is encouraged to apply.
Author: News Desk
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