I'm thinking of opening a bike shop.....

[d0nut]

The ownwer of the shop I work at in Racine has some serious health issues. He just doesn't have the steam/energy left to be open on a daily basis. I am considering offering to buy the business from him and moving things to the Milwaukee area.

It would be a HD/British/Metric cruiser repair shop along with building a few custom bikes, selling 2 lines of custom bikes plus maybe Indians (If tehy come back). I'm not sure of the Vento scooter line staying since there are 2 dealers in Milw cty already....

My question is in regards to location of a shop. I have been looking on National Ave East of the freeway. I like the hwy 100 area in general due to it being easy to get to. A friend suggested not being east of 100 because people in Wauk rarely go there.

Any thoughts?

Suggestions?

Rude comments????

[juicedimpss]

milwaukee is fairly flooded already,the way i see it. another thing to consider is if you are buying an established business,stay in same location. the customers base that goes along with that business knows where to look for you.

[68RR440]

I voted west of Hwy 100, so when I come to hang out I don't have to drive far. http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/parts53186/d0a04966.gif

[Myles]

I say stay in racine, like juiced said most of your consumer base already knows that you are there. Moving to the milwaukee area could be more harmful than helpful.

[d0nut]

The problem is that there is no customer base left.

The shop owner had a brain tumor and his disposition has changed for the worse. That combined with the other shops that opened up and the poor location are just dragging things down. There are days where no one comes in at all and there are maybe 2 calls. It also doesn't help that we are in the borderline ghetto down there.....

[Myles]

Hmm. Then you might want to research where the other shops in the milwaukee area are. Find out if you get grab a better location thats easier to reach than them. And go from there.

Advertising is going to be what makes or breaks you in if you move.

[Silver350]

I say south Milwaukee. The area is pretty cluttered with bike shops between Jeunu (SP?) Harley, Hal's and House. If you are going to be licence HD dealer as well it might be a good idea to be some ways away from the others.

Good luck I hope everything works in your favor. Let us know what happens.

[juicedimpss]

I say south Milwaukee. The area is pretty cluttered with bike shops between Jeunu (SP?) Harley, Hal's and House. If you are going to be licence HD dealer as well it might be a good idea to be some ways away from the others.
theres no chance of him getting to be a authorized hd dealership rights in se wi. the market is already flooded,and the harley will not step on the other dealers toes on that.

[68RR440]

Is the bike shop in Hales Corners still open? I can't remember the name, but it was one block east of Hwy 100. They built some kick ass choppers a few years ago...

[juicedimpss]

Is the bike shop in Hales Corners still open? I can't remember the name, but it was one block east of Hwy 100. They built some kick ass choppers a few years ago...
milwaukee bike works is still there.
theres also another shop on 27th street that opened not too long ago,Noyes performance.
the market around here is pretty cut throat IMO.
too many shops,too many guys working at home in their garage.

[Myles]

It might be easier to just try and get a job at one of the dealerships.

[68RR440]

milwaukee bike works is still there.
theres also another shop on 27th street that opened not too long ago,Noyes performance.
the market around here is pretty cut throat IMO.
too many shops,too many guys working at home in their garage.
Don't you work at the Harley dealer on Layton? I've seen the Imp there a few times...

[juicedimpss]

Don't you work at the Harley dealer on Layton? I've seen the Imp there a few times...
yes. ive been here for 7 years now.

[Myles]

yes. ive been here for 7 years now.

With how much you are online i dont know how. :rolf

[FANAT1C]

With how much you are online i dont know how. :rolf


:thumbsup :banana

BTW are you sales or service?

[Myles]

Hes a parts *****.

[juicedimpss]

i am in parts, i run the back counter for the techs. It is not very often that i work the front retail anymore.

[theavenger333]

north side has very little, but you're lookin for the other side of 94

[d0nut]

I did the dealer thing from 88-99 and it got old. The profits that the owners get does not get passed on to anyone that works there. I'd rather be responsible for my own misery than complaining someone else is screwing me.

There are enough hacks building bikes in garages and selling them that you can almost earn a living fixing those. We get bikes in that cost $30k and are falling apart in 2 weeks. There is a builder in the area that sold a kid in Racine a bike and told him to take it to another shop to be fine tuned when he handed him the keys. Now things are falling off the bike and customer service is out the window.



It might be easier to just try and get a job at one of the dealerships.

[juicedimpss]

most of our techs are well taken care of.

[d0nut]

That's all relative to what you consider well taken care of. I worked there in 95/96. Ask Mark Burns about Sean. He always has amusing stories about me.;)



most of our techs are well taken care of.

[0TransAm0]

id say stay in racine but in a better area..like further west on 20..but thats just my opinion. i drove past thier the other day got a couple nice ones in the window... i woulda stoped but i think you were closed.

[BigSnailBuick]

If your connected well enough to pull in the business go for it. My old man and his buddy are opening up a bike/car/paint shop, so i know all that goes in to making the final decisions....it sucks

[GRAMPS SS]

theres no chance of him getting to be a authorized hd dealership rights in se wi. the market is already flooded,and the harley will not step on the other dealers toes on that.

don't know if you thought of the north west side, but were full up....2 HD dealers in the area...then you have southeast sales on 76th st south of good hope...a BMW shop north of them and guys in the garages bulding bikes...
what about the watertown area or pewaukee area? just a thought

[d0nut]

Yeah, odds are you drove past the week he decided to close......

No real reason to be open in the middle of July? Right???






id say stay in racine but in a better area..like further west on 20..but thats just my opinion. i drove past thier the other day got a couple nice ones in the window... i woulda stoped but i think you were closed.

[xxsn0blindxx]

What about the Pewaukee/Delafield area? The area keeps expanding and I would venture to guess the average income is pretty high.

[d0nut]

I like the Pewaukee/Delafield/Ocon area but the shop rent would kill me. I think the best way to go is a place that is right off the freeway and easy to find. There was a shop on Hwy 100 and 94 called Milwaukee Biker. I never saw it open but they have a bitchin sign up! Right now it's vacant (I think?). I know a Halloween place used it last year or the year before....



What about the Pewaukee/Delafield area? The area keeps expanding and I would venture to guess the average income is pretty high.

[0TransAm0]

kinda off topic but have you seen or heard of the shop "wild rides" i guess its right by all sports bar just off of rapids drive on north green bay road. they had a couple nice cars in thier and a couple nice chopper style bikes thier sign just says "wild rides comeing soon" maybe check into that. if they do mostly cars you could do mostly bikes.. idk just an idea and throwen it out thier.

[d0nut]

That place is owned by Mike Jensen (Jensen towing). I just did a trans on his Bourget. He has a few ideas about what he wants to do with the building and was in here a couple weeks ago talking about it. Killer building for a shop...



kinda off topic but have you seen or heard of the shop "wild rides" i guess its right by all sports bar just off of rapids drive on north green bay road. they had a couple nice cars in thier and a couple nice chopper style bikes thier sign just says "wild rides comeing soon" maybe check into that. if they do mostly cars you could do mostly bikes.. idk just an idea and throwen it out thier.

[pOrk]

Milwaukee Biker was just a shop selling pocket rockets, super-mini cruiser style bikes, and leather. They had a butt load of leather product, vests, coats, pants, etc. I think they were in buisness for less then 3 months, but awesome shop ( big as heck on the inside ) and plenty of bay doors.

[d0nut]

I was up there yesterday at Northern and took a look at the building. Looks nice, but has an odd location. I wondered about what the hell they did because there is a custom painted old city bus sitting there also....

I also heard that Insane Choppers has gone under. I have had a couple bikes they built come in for work. No comment.



Milwaukee Biker was just a shop selling pocket rockets, super-mini cruiser style bikes, and leather. They had a butt load of leather product, vests, coats, pants, etc. I think they were in buisness for less then 3 months, but awesome shop ( big as heck on the inside ) and plenty of bay doors.

[0TransAm0]

That place is owned by Mike Jensen (Jensen towing). I just did a trans on his Bourget. He has a few ideas about what he wants to do with the building and was in here a couple weeks ago talking about it. Killer building for a shop...


yeah its a killer building but i dont know if the guy who ownd it b4 just didn't give a rip or not but all it had were some old collector cars that loked like he just used the building for storage. never really had a buisness in thier but with the bar open next to it and that being a REALLY busy corner i think it will do good no matter what they build.

[d0nut]

Mike Jensen of Jensen towing was involved in an accident on his Bourget last Friday evening and passed away. They are having a service for him on Wed with a procession from the Kenosha shop to Racine and back.(The local stations are supposed to be there so watch for me on the all black ACP. I should be wearing an Indian shirt)

Sunday there will be a benefit for him at the Rapids Drive shop.I will post the time and address as soon as things are set in stone.

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2006/08/01/local/iq_4149011.txt

That place is owned by Mike Jensen (Jensen towing). I just did a trans on his Bourget. He has a few ideas about what he wants to do with the building and was in here a couple weeks ago talking about it. Killer building for a shop...