https://vimeo.com/36258512 Leader and Eighthinch both posted it today on facebook. How long do you guys think this business will last?

What 718 does is awesome. Being in NYC, I'm sure they'll do just fine.

"We'll build you a $500 bike for only $1000!"

Pretty sweet, maybe kind of niche, but it seems like they answer the complaints a lot of people have about their own LBS.

I live around the corner from this place, and its great. I took a wheelbuilding class there and they were top-notch and really nice.

Yeah I really like that about this shop. They do Maintenance classes once a week or something like that, I find that really cool. My lbs does that the last friday of every month but i've never gone before maybe I will sometime soon.

i don't see that they're offering any super special bargains or unique products... think bikes direct, or superb.

but what they do seem to offer is kindness and customer-centered business model. treating each individual customer as just that, an individual, will go far and keep people coming to your doors as long as you don't mess up any other part of the business.

jdg and i went around to a lot of places today and he mentioned, and i agreed, that some stores and industries are simple enough that if you treat people right and do a good job across the board it's hard to **** it up.

and i kind of agree that usually what happens with places that suck or go under is they will try to stand apart and accel in one area, they'll try to specialize in this one thing that they think no one else does(in this case, build people very custom bikes to fit their tastes and obviously, budgets) and they focus so primarily on the one thing they think will set them apart, that it becomes the one thing that makes them fail, sometimes hard, in one or many other core, basic characteristics of running a business successfully. maybe it's keeping a happy workforce or responsibly handling the books and finances or marketing your services to the right customer base or keeping a quality product that evolves with customer's standards and expectations...

and it can be really hard to do that, where as if you were to not try to set yourself apart and just focus on making everything run right it's pretty hard to ignore industry wide standards that successful businesses ALL do unless you just never look at what it takes to do something successfully.

and i have no experience doing this so maybe i'm way off base, and what i have to say is next to meaningless because obvsiously if you accel at nothing you have no brand and no reason for people to choose you over your competitor... but for the most part i get the feeling that people just too often get myopic and narrowminded about their one obsession or focus, and that's when fails happen.

and with this particular store, i don't see that they're doing that. sure, it looks like they're focusing themselves on this 'inverted bike shop' concept and setting themselves apart, maybe even to excess. but it doesn't seem like they're forgetting any of the basics yet either, so i don't have any reason to think they're not going to continue to do well.

now all they have to do is offer an njs style lugged track frame for a low prices and they'll make me happy too.

It's easy to be cynical. But this is my shop and though the collaborative bit is awesome; it's not the only thing going for it.

Go in that shop and build yourself a brand new Surly, Mission, All-City, Leader ..and you'll get it for the same price as any other LBS..but with Joe N. (718c owner)..you get the most ridiculous customer service i've ever encountered (anywhere) and, you get to build it yourself. If that sounds awesome to you; it is. And there are plenty of people who love the idea.

As for how long he'll be in business..Scrodzilla is absolutely right. Just last November..(16 months ago)..Joe N. had a tiny shop and he got so busy he literally had to move overnight. Although bikeshops in nyc thrive--he's competing with plenty of other bike shops very close to his. And running a profitable bike shop--no matter the location--is a lot of work. Ask plenty of other bikes shops in the city (BB&B and red lantern) come to mind.

I've taken a few bikes to his shop for very minor things. For example, thought i needed a tune-up--turns out my bike was fine..just needed to clean the chain..(no charge)..derailleur pulleys gummed up..(no charge)..questions about what derailleur I would need (long or mid)..anything...Wheel Building Class, sure enough. Need to store your bike for the winter..ok..Need a workbench a tools for an 1hr..got that too..

I bought a 30 year old Lotus over the holidays and told him just do whatever it takes to make this run as good as new:

Wheels trued, all cables replaced, drive-train cleaned, lubed, full bike clean, hub overhaul, BB overhaul, headset overhaul, new hoods.--for a very reasonable price..check his website. Oh and the bike--absolutely perfect.

Easily the most enjoyable place to purchase and learn bike related stuffs..if you are anywhere near this shop--you should check it out. People should ask about "after purchase" service--this place is like the antithesis of a bikesdirect purchase at every level and at very reasonable costs--even for Brooklyn.

took the wheelbuilding class w/ Alfred last month and totally loved it-- and came away w/ a pretty slamming set of wheels. helluva shop, staffed by folks who know TONS about the subject.

Really great way to run a shop, wish them the best!