Stop the Hate!!!

First off I wish to apologize for not visiting with you folks in a while.  A combination of things really.  but predominately i have been a tad bit melancholy for the last couple of days.  I would like to thank Uncle Chippie and one of our regulars (not to mention my lovely wife who even though I did not burden her with my woes in reverence to her current condition, but none the less holding her last night was as always calming) for helping to bring me out of the slump I've been in. 
Since we opened we have had our fair share of troubles as far as slander goes, from a variety of our competitors.  Way back in the garage days when this blog was in it's Craigslist form (before I discovered Blogspot) we'd get an earful!  But, as time went on, and more and more folks got to know us and realize we weren't a "Chop shop" nor a fly by night blip the negativity began to peter out.  Even got to the point where some of our loudest antagonists began to recommend us to their customers looking for inexpensive rides, or low priced re-pairs, even as early as yesterday.  So it caught me a little off guard when I was doing a monthly check of our web listings the other day, and on google reviews got an eye full of a malicious character assassination aim at not only our business and me personally but my family as well!!!  Suffice to say I was flabbergasted for the fact that the "experience" he describes never actually occurred.   Anyone who has done business with us in the past can attest to the fact that while we may not be perfect, but we'll make it right.  The real problem is that this person listed two separate "Stories" dated the same day describing two separate instances. Completely unrelated to each other.  And it's not the first time, either!  This person had previewed our business twice before in the last two years, using the same name, but completely different situations!  As I said, I have been stewing in my own juices over this.  Chip relayed to me an experience he had a while back with a "Troll" hunting him across the web and I will try and implement his advice.  I also received a visit from one of our other regulars, an avid cyclist looking to build his next ride on his own and in search of the perfect frame.  As the conversation turned casual, and I updated him on the family I briefly described my current annoyance.  After listening to me gripe, he offered up some sage wisdom.  As he has been searching for the perfect bike he has visited other shops in town describing what he's looking for in a bike, to which they have shown him a variety of bikes ranging in price from $2000.00-$6800.00.  When he's mentioned us a variety of salesman have become rather flustered and downright belligerent in their response.  All the old prejudices seem still resoundly entrenched in their verbiage!  But, as he stated" anyone capable of rational thought and reason could walk away from these exchanges knowing that these salesman are threatened by our existence, and are feeling the pinch.  Whereas they are trying to sell in the thousands of dollars we offer 'em up in the tens.  Kind of a no brainer where their priorities and intentions lie"  (of course I'm paraphrasing) And yes even though my compulsion for creativity and productivity have been somewhat stymied of late because of all this, I appreciate their efforts to get me to see the light, and to recognize what we have been able to accomplish here.  It's what we always wanted to do.  Give folks a choice other then high prices and high pressure.
Thank you to everyone who have and continue to visit us, have allowed us to service their rides, and provided them with new ones.