TCR

This morning, once again, I was reminded why I do all my bike shopping online. All I wanted was a replacement head for my floor pump, which I had bought at that very shop a few years ago. I even talked to the owner the day before and he said, "Yes, I have the hose and head combo for that pump in stock for $7.99."

So I go to the shop this morning and I'm walking towards the counter, checkin out the sweet Giant carbon frame hanging on the wall, when this kid comes walking out from the back. I had to take a double look because I'd swear it looked like the offspring of Bob Marley and Charles Manson if they were able to reproduce with each other. I ask this dreadlock neanderthal if he's got one of these as I hold up the hose and head from my floor pump. He gives me this glassy-eyed glazed over look and sais no. I asked if he was sure cause it's off of that pump right there as I point to an identical pump behind the counter. He then mumbles something about how he could probably order it. I ask again if he's sure because the owner just yesterday said he had it. He suddenly sobers up and his eyes start darting wildly around the shop and sais I'd have to talk to the owner then. I then ask about a silca presta head instead. I get a quick no and have to order that too. So I ask where the booties are at. I get a we don't have any after I explain they're those things that go over your shoes to keep your toes warm in the winter. At this point I start looking around for hidden cameras - maybe I'm on some new hidden camera tv show on MTV or something? I then suddenly realize it's just me and this wannabe Seattle grunge pot-head all alone in the shop, who now appears to be having some paranoid reaction to last nights bong-fest. I then think about making one last plea to buy "something" but decide it's probably just better to leave and buy everything online, as I usually do.

Chef23

I would let the owner know. I am sure he doesn't want his shop to have that kind of reputation and if you don't tell him he might not find out.

Maj.Taylor

It could have been just the opposite--he was out of drugs.

I agree with letting the owner know of your experience.

bac

Perhaps he was using the replacement head and hose as a part for his home-made bong?

tspinning

ooh damn, i cant believe, well with what i hear the pay is i can, but i am always amazed at the stoner population of bike shops, now i myself smoke, usually once or twice a day depending on the....well the day, but never before i work (im a bank teller....that **** doesnt go over well) and also a barback...that would make me waaay to tired to work. I could however see it being ok in the snowboard/skate shop though (have you tried to fit kids for stuff... if your not high and laughin at them your gonna go nuts like their mom) but in the bike part, if your not a serious biker you offer little to no help to 80% of your customers, so basicly i agree, dont hire pot-heads for the bike shop.... or if you do, just be cool adn tell them you pay them to be sober, salesmen, and interactive, not deadbeats....anyway just my $.02..... keep spinning... and keep burnin too, just not during work! wait 5 hours, it will feel better afterword anyway

slotibartfast

I agree that you've got to tell the owner of the shop. If you don't, your LBS will be going right down the drain - out of business like so many others around the country.

TCR

The problem is this pot-head has worked there for atleast 3 years now. It appeared he actually opened the shop up by himself this morning. They actually let him have keys to the building!! I can only think he is some sort of relative or best bud with the owner. I don't know the owner well but he seems to be a really nice guy. He's does great wrenching and has cut me some deals in the past.

karmical

to me if i need something out of the ordinary and took the time to call my lbs, i would have gone a bit further and asked the owner to put it aside for me, and leave a note telling other employees that i would be coming in over the next day or so...

being california, before you make the assumption that anyone using marijuana is simply some "pothead" could be a card carrying medical marijuana patient...

i guess i am the only one here that works for a medical marijuana dispensary....

tspinning

i would work there in a heartbeat...if only we had one... any openings in your area, im willing to move for better bike weather

operator

lol at

Ralph Turney

What bike shop was it so I can avoid the place.

TCR

I live up the hill in the high desert so you should be fairly safe down there in Santa Ana.

catatonic

there are good potheads and bad potheads...smoking up after work...all good.....smoking up before/during work...all bad.

Even at the place i work...we all know some of the execs even light up...doesnt matter so long as they are responsible about it.

JBar

"He's does great wrenching and has cut me some deals in the past."

That's why you buy stuff from your LBS. ...and unless you got a whiff of the spliff, I'd hesitate to accuse the kid of smoking on the job. Tell the owner about your experience and he'll draw his own conclusions if the kid has been there for three years. My bro owns a retail store and it is hard to get great help for 8 bucks an hour.

TCR

I don't think he was "smoking on the job." My guess is he was still recovering from last night. Nevertheless, the poor kid can't afford to lose even one more brain cell.

incipit

I agree with Jbar... Explain what happened to the Owner and explain how much you were turned off by the whole situation... he will straighten it out if he cares about his business... he might even toss you a thing or two for your trouble.

webist

The owner told you the part was in stock. The employee contradicted the owner. Passing that info on to the owner should serve to alert him or her that there is a problem especially if you express some irritation at having come into the shop after calling first.

Avalanche325

You know, all this tell the owner stuff is great. But isn't it the owners JOB to figure it out before the customer does? If that is how he runs his business, I would run from his business.

Dchiefransom

I've got a pretty good LBS near me, bought my Zurich there. The owner and main wrench know their stuff well, and a few other wrenches are good wrenches, but don't know the store that well. Most of the younger guys around the store are learning, and are BMX type riders, so they are not that familiar yet with multi-geared bikes. They do try hard, though, so I move around the shop until the answer is the right one. The young guys will ask the others for help, though.

TCR

This must be the same Dchief from the bicycling.com forums?

roadwarrior

Dude...(that's a SoCal word)..in what "industry" do you work?

DocRay

Man, you should get some of whatever he was on to kill that bug up your -ss. Sounds like this guy threatened you by not looking proper, to you.

TCR

I've worked retail for the past 15 years, ranging from stocker to cashier to manager, so I've seen them all come and go. This "employee" ranked right up at the top of the bone-head list.

roadwarrior

Good...so as a manager you'd want a patron to let you know about a problem and hopefully get a reasonable solution...and I am SURE that every hire you've made has been on to the Harvard Business School...

The problem with the bike business (why so many companies and shops go out of business) is that they are populated with enthusiasts, not business people. And they pay cr@p, so you get what you pay for...

I own a company...it is not an 8-5 M-F job so when in town, I can work, for fun, at a great, professional bike shop. I teach skills, like selling, to employees there so that they can actually learn how to do it right. Not every shop can afford to do that.
Rather than making fun of them, talk to the owner.

You'd want that, right?

timmhaan

dude, you're missing something vitally important here. and that is...you could probably score some totally top notch weed from that guy. smoke with him (slying placing common tobacco in the pipe when it’s your turn) a few times until he feels comfortable around you, and then when he lets his guard down - you walk out with a new bike. the owner will come back from lunch and undoubtedly blame the burnout and he'll have the money deducted from his paychecks for the next 5 years! you'll be out of there scott free. i see this as a win win situation.