Originally Posted by
Cruiser7
My experience also, the big T seems to suck the life out of shops. Our old independent shop had various brands et al including used stuff....
no more.
So basically we get soulless corporate shops devoid of various brands and less people visiting or working there. The old shop was busy with several sales and mechanics working there..............all gone.
But this is 'progress' they say. well i don't say, now i have to go to another town to visit an independent shop with good mechanics AND used bicycles if i want them.
AND this was so predictable even to me. when i first heard of this, i knew it would be bad news: correct again. hope big T gets out of retail and sells the shops back, but fixing the damage they have done to the Bicycle eco system going to take a Long long time if ever. and of course Corporate types are always correct in their heads, their degree in nonsense says so and we pay.
This is not going on just in bicycle brands but also in bad business practices against independent music dealers and probably other kinds of business. again, the Corporate types need real classes in business or they will get the skool of hard knocks. perhaps the same results?
Well, at least some of this is down to the owner of your "Trek retailer".
It
does feel more corporate and Plan-O-Grammed, but they will service any bike and are very helpful overall. There is one salesman working and two mechanics at any given time. On busier days, two salesmen and three mechanics. The owner is floating around most of the time too, lending a hand in both areas. (he's a retired MTB racer)
Are you sure you're not just harboring some anger because they're a big corporation and over their supporting a doper 20 years ago? As big as they are, they're small compared to Giant.
I really can't think of how you can criticize their variety; they make a bit of everything, esp. when you consider that Electra is a Trek brand too.
I also have a more local 2nd generation ma 'n pa shop. They're a Giant, Jamis and one other brand I can't think of dealer. Also friendly, but prices are higher and service is not quite as good, as it's a skeleton crew by comparison. It doesn't help that the other local shop closed up last year.