Sentil-le-mental

LORD!
Well today was our first full day in the new joint and although the day ended quite well it's beginning were less then ostentatious!  To say the least!
As we are in the thrall of a full moon the little girls were less then cooperative in their sleeping regiment, keeping Daddy up until the wee hours (OK, I did dose a bit as Miranda played) The kids in the morning seemed extra keen in arguing their every preparatory movement for school to the point of Daddy's temperature hitting critical mass.  Once finally delivering them to school, and after a brief few sips of coffee with momma I went to open up....and was unable to get the key to work in the door!  Now mind you, it was a bit of a sticky lock from the get go, but this time after 20 minuets I couldn't get the damn thing to budge...soooooo, I had to call the locksmith...
except...
My damn cell phone would not work!  For some reason my Internet was stuck and I couldn't look up a number! 
Sooooooo,
I called Momma to see if she could look it up for me.
Except....
Her phone kept going to voice mail!
FINALLY got in touch with a locksmith (by having to pull my battery and reset the bloody thing) and he was out in 15 min's.
except....
It took picking...and drilling....and hammering....and cutting...and more drilling....and more hammering until 40 minuets later I was in.
LORD!
But thankfully things got better after that, and we would like to thank all the folks, new faces and old, for coming out to check out the new digs!
Even though we have many fond memories of the old pad, I gotta admit I LOVE the new place!  So much more user friendly with everything I need within arms reach.  It'll take a little tweaking to get it all exactly where it's best suited, and it is currently a tad claustrophobic in the back, but once I get the bikes rebuilt and out for sale it'll even out. 
So needless to say in between customers I spent the day putting away parts so there is nothing new to report but that will change tomorrow. 
So keep checking us out as we get back to normal!
See y'all on the morrow!

It's time

Well the new digs are done!  Finally!  Will show you pics in a few.  Now mind you these photos were taken before the finish clean up so most of the debris is gone.  We were going to wait until the first to open but I gotta be honest with you.  First, the new digs are just so WAY cool we don't want to wait another day to get in!  Second, the old plaza has DIED!  Ever since Sweetbay went belly up the flow of traffic has screeched to a halt!  And it's just so depressing!  They boarded up and shutter the place and it makes the whole place look like downtown Detroit!  (no offence to anyone from Motor City!) No one wants to come to the ghost town.  And it may seem petty, but the other shops especially the restaurants are feeling the pitch as the portions they originally served have shrunk (yes...I know...I could do with some smaller portions...but it's the principle of the thing!) but the prices have not!  And we are getting more calls from folks who have seen the sign at the new shop we figured what the heck!  So tomorrow we load up the last remaining things and finish our day out up there!  Don't be shy to visit as we will be open for business!  Now I'll take a moment for posterity and say a few thanks!  To my wife, thanks for the assists, the understanding of the long hours, the gift of the flat screen TV for when I'm working, and the excellent job of cleaning up after me!  To Terry, for the use of the truck for the last three weeks!  To Chip for the morale support, referrals and offer of his truck, and the awesome Logo design from so long ago! To my Dad for hauling us around on the original supply run and the good suggestions for floor plans.  To Kaleb and Elijah for the late night heavy lifting and grunt work, and for Elijah picking up the slack around the house when both Momma and dad were needed at the shop(s).  And to the little guys for their organized effort moving ALL those wheels!! And last but not least to all the awesome folks who have made this little enterprise a success over the last 6 years!  Here's to 60 more (plus!)
So here are the fruits of all our labors!
Enjoy!
(and PLEASE don't make this the only time you see it!)

Allllmost there...stay on target....STAY ON TARGET!

Oh...so close!
I can feel my toes a tingling!  Brought over all the working stock of parts, basically emptying out the Dungeon, and put everything away and sure enough have AMPLE storage within my work area for everything I need to build goodies!  Momma was up helping with the finish decorating as we have put an even more persoanl twist on the decor.  Bringing in even more of the fan foder we love.  Her Twilight and my Firefly!  Now this next bit may not interest many of you but any Browncoats out there may appreciate the find I treated myself to from E-bay...A "Little Damn Heroes" Serenity 1/400 scale replica!!!  Oh I now, not the most sensible of purchases, but these things normaly go for around $300-400 bucks and I got it for under $90!  Mint in the BOX!!  Yea, it alread has a mount of honor near my bay so I can stare at it longingly and weep accordingly to Fox's insane choice to pull it from the 'Verse.....Whoa boy! Better stop there before I go off on another tangent! 
ANYWAY!
Aside from me tools, and the counter and stock we are pretty much ready...and the counter goes tomorrow.  Bringing in the big guns for that!  E's gonna be with me in the mornin' to do the heavy lifting.  "My Momma says I might not be smart but I can lift thing's!"
I kid because I care.
And Mucho KUDOS to our good buddy Uncle Chip!  Been about a month since we last saw him and he and his bro stopped by to give congrats and MAN has that man lost some weight!  He's a TWIG!  I wanna know his secret!  I know he's an avid cyclist, so all the more proof to those of us needing to shed a few pounds to hit the two wheels more often!
Hows the song go? "...good advice I never take?"
SO yes, we did put out a couple goodies today before leaving to haul loads, but I forgot pics, and wouldn't have helped because about 20 minutes after leavin Angi sold 'em!  HOWEVER, did pick up a few newbies today and of them the highlight is a Nishiki big boy frame road bike!  Light weight!  And albeit short on parts, I got a lime green set of tires that are just ITCHIN" to dress this one out as a full up single speed racer!  Gonna do a black (or maybe white) body paint on 'er and trick her out right nice! 
So with that! I'd best be getting some shut eye, so's I can get a go first thing!
Love and kisses!
Night!

Quick Update!

Woof!
We have entered "CRUNCH TIME!!!" 
One week to go 'till the opening and we are on schedule but we're not taking any chances!  Have been plugging away, but till working a full day at the old joint.  And MAN did we need it! As soon as we build 'em, they sell, so needless to say would like  to thank all the fine folks for keeping us running!  Will be working on more tomorrow but will leave you with a pic of the one remaining pretty we have left! 
Good night folks!

26" COMFORT CRUISER
ONLY $70.00!!!

Phase....Briefly Interupted.

Perhaps one of the unfortunate side effect of getting more mature is ones body become more susceptible and less likely to easily defeat invading germs.  Some such entities entered my person and made themselves readily apparent early Saturday morning compelling me to.... well lets just say vacate the contents of my stomach and nether regions.  Now much kudos to the family for stepping up and filling in on both home and shop duties for the day as I slept until about 7.30 that evening (fitfully of course) even though Miss Angie was slightly dubious of the illness's timing as Saturday marked our 21 years together, believing quite possibly the cosmos was trying to tell me something.
So, planned events for the continued movement to the new store were postponed for 24 hours.  But as the "Sally Forth" and "all guns ahead" type as I am (alright, with a little morale boost from Angi in the form of "you know you'll be b&$*#ing in a couple days if you don't get out of bed and go back to work" Sunday morning I hauled my keister out of bed and we went up and finished Saturdays work.  Needless to say we are a day behind so will make according adjustments today.  Not to far off though, as at this point it's pretty much ready (except for the counter space, and some more lighting up front) for us to start moving in parts and stock.  So, this morning I just have to figure out where I am.
SO with that, I bid you all a fond G'day, and will be seeing you later!

Phase seven.....much closer!

Well the bay is finally done!  We also started moving in some of the goodies we don't use on a daily basis, and Miss Angi went and took care of the licence application this morning.  Now we move on to the display area. Already started to dismantle everything at the old shop so those of you looking to visit us in the next 13 days so sorry for the condition of the store but it's starting to look barren.  There is a method to our madness though!  I want to spend the next two weeks just building bikes and doing repairs up until the final Day when we load the last few things in the truck and be done with this chapter in our history.  A special thanks to Terry for the loan of his spare pickup, it has been a Godsend.  Many kind folks offered up their chauffeur services, but as much of this move is being done by the seat of our pants, with constantly shifting plans, and putting someone on the line to take the time to help and having to change plans at the last minute would be  a real pain, I'm sure! 
Needless to say, as I wont be focusing on builds until next week we are way understocked once gain!  It only takes a day around here!  And between yesterday and today we sold out pretty much across the board. Yep, all the bikes I pic'd yesterday are gone today (except the Fuji Folding bike) But have no fear!  Have PLENTY to keep me busy building!
So enjoy some pics of the new place (please mind the haphazard stock laying bout) and we'll talk at you later!

Junk room now, but once emptied out this will be the kids room.  Somewhere for them to hang when visiting mom and dad at work Complete with ben bags, tv, vcr, game table, coloring books, et'll!

storage room.  trust me, I'll find a use for all the shelves!

this is where the counter will be going, in front of the waist wall.

a bike builders paradise!  enough storage so everything I need is within arms reach! 

WOW!  I should have no problem messing this up REAL fast!!!

Pase Seven and 3/4. Amended.

What?
Did you think I'd really be working tonight?
On Valentines day?
I may be part Polish but I know what's good for me in order to retain my man bits!
Momma had a unique evening idea, to just chill and play scrabble, using only romantic words.  Should make for a challenging game!
So with that I will make this short!
Today was mainly repairs, so no new goodies unfortunately as I once again took the afternoon to work on the new place.  finally finished the work bay, so tomorrow we start bringing the old shop up in pieces.  Y'all will notice our current place become more an more bare over the next two weeks, so please excuse the rubble and debris!
Thanks to everyone for braving the dreary weather and making today a hopping good time.
Alright, I said brief, so goodnight!

phurmufflelagher.....

I'm seeing vapor trails....
it's 1.10am and my day has ended....
hit the ground running at 7 am this morning.  Hit the shop amovin at nine and pumped out four new rides, and several more repairs.  Thanks much for keepin us going folks, we do so appreciate the bill payin' work!
at 3pm mamma came up and relieved me so I could continue phase seven.
ugg.
The boys were up helpin me and we called it quits at 12.30am.  At the point I couldn't even read the level I figured it best to give up the ghost.
Check out the pics below for the new goodies and I'll be back at it again tomorrow...
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Yep...Still Laboring On Phase Seven.

What has become of common decency and the art of conversation.  Now with all due respect to any contemplative answer on your part, that was basically a rhetorical question.  An opening line if you will.  See in today's age of personal communication devices, e-mail, Twitter and texting (although for convenient updates and flirting with Angi, I'm as guilty as the next Borg drone) we have almost completely lost the ability to communicate personally with one another.  With the exception of my Grandparents generation folks just don't know how to talk with anyone, much less conduct a cordial business transaction.  OK, maybe I'm generalizing a tad bit.  I mean I do have pleasant exchanges every day with folks who come in to chew the fat, but when some bluff and bluster type Blitzkrieg the shop with now regards for basic etiquette it really grinds my sausage! Not that I'm one to complain (oh yea, right!) but a gent and his lady friend stopped by briefly today inquiring about a chain for their BMX.  Now I say inquired but more precisely it was akin to demanding, oblivious to that fact that I was elbow deep in grease.  "How much for a chain?!"  Ascertaining that this was a cut and dry conversation I quickly replied "New or used?" "ah, no, no!  I wants new!"  I gave him the total and informed him he would have to leave it with me as I had to order it. 
(Now I pause for a second to state, we are a specialty bike shop that specializes in used and refurbished bike parts.  We can supply new parts but keep few in stock)
With this he grabbed the bike from me turned around in a huff and said "ah, NO, NO" as his lady friend slapped her thighs and began a brief hissy fit as they stormed from the shop.
Wow.
Someone should switch to decaff.
ANYWAY!!
Thanks to all the folks who gave me so much to keep me busy this morning with repairs!  Once that was done had to bail to the new place to continue the build, but tomorrow morning I focus on getting out some more goodies, so keep an eye on these pages!
Night y'all!

Phase Freakin Tired..er....um...Seven: The Big Push

OY!
To think, I used to do this kind of work for a living!  My hat goes off with immense to any person of advanced age such as mine who actually gets up every morning and put in a full day of constant physical labor.  You ARE a better person then I!! 
Thanks to momma, who watched the hop so I could start the build out on the new place.  Trying hard not to wait to the last minute, we're tying to get the new place done and ready well before our opening.  Makes sense I know but you'd be surprised on just how much we sometimes wait until the last minute to do.  Sorry, but we keep forgetting to do before and after pictures of the place, but believe me when I say, it is a VAST improvement on what it looked like before.  Unfortunately the only thing I couldn't change was the tile job the previous folks did.  LORD!  Looks like they hired a near sighted, depth perception deprived alcoholic with a nervous twitch and no measuring or leveling equipment to lay these tiles!  Had to get REAL creative with the work table construction just to make the top level!  The painting is done and should only be a few more days before the whole place is together. Thanks to Elijah and Kaleb for coming up and lending a hand!
Today however I will be working at the old shop, as thankfully we had a rush of repairs come in and I gotta pump out some production their!  Not to mention, have got to get out more stock!  We are SERIOUSLY light at the moment, but have no fear, we have a lot to work with!
So with that, I'd best get my fanny into ear and get my day started,

Phase Six! The Spending of Money!

Even though we will be constructing using as much recycled materials as possible we still had to lay out cash today.  As the new space is slightly smaller then the old joint we wanted to make it more.....erm....presentable.  And neat.  NOT my strong points. So in attempt to put on a good show we designed the work bay to match the remainder of the decor.  Orderly.  Of course such desire cost money.
Yay.
Thanks to my dad for shuttling me around today to get all the cr..stuff.  It was a hoot, three generations in one truck.  Oh yes, made for a slew of parental humor.
Mrs. Angela watched the shop and was deluged with many a customer.  Very nearly selling out so it goes without saying I have my work cut out for me!  And thankfully we picked up several new goodies included a sweet older Peugeot road bike that is gonna be cherry when shes done!
And sorry to all the folks waiting on me to return from the materials run!  I was running a tad bit late and ran into moms planned en masse kids haircut day!  Needless to say a shop full of customers going up against an onslaught of the Atherton brood?  I can only imagine what they thought!  Ah well, all turned out well enough in the end.  Thanks to the gent visiting from Tampa to pick up  bevy of rides!  He grabbed two and put in an order for four more for next week.  NOT a problem! 
Tomorrow Mom and Dad slap the paint on the walls and possibly start the building. so with that we need some chill time, then bed.
Night!

Phase...(Lord, where are we anyways?) ....Five?

Yea, it's been a couple days!  No rest for the wicked and all that.  Finally starting to make progress on the new shop.  Waters on, lights come Monday.  Got John to come down and do the window graphics (BRIGHT red and yellow accents), and got another company coming on Sunday to do the awning.  Yes!  We are actually going to have a SIGN!  Doing the old "calling on family with a truck" bit tomorrow as my dad is taking me to Lowe's (old men candy store!) to get all the necessary goodies for the rest of the build out which will begin in earnest on Sunday. See if this makes sense? In order to get a business licence in Dunedin you have to have the entire store done, laid out and ready to be opened (stock in place and all!) for them to come in, do an inspection THEN they give you the licence? 
Needless to say the whole "close on the 28th and open on the first" is gonna be a challenge.  That much we are winging it on. BUT, the old store is gonna start looking rather barren over the next couple weeks. Basically the bikes to sell and tools to fix.
 And a chair.
I would like to take a moment and whole heartedly thank all the great folks who have come in over the last few days.  Everyone has been super appreciative of what we are doing!  Many a wonderful compliment and many, many, many referrals!  Wow!  One wonderful lady after having us service first one then a second bike of hers was so happy with the service (and more importantly the low price) that she actually drove two of her friends down with their bikes for us to spruce them up.  And WOW...we love you too.
Also (and I feel so bad 'cause I forgot his name) a fine gent was cleaning out his garage "projects" and reluctantly donated a plethora of goodies to us!  Included was a REAL unique Fuji road bike frame, strip down and treated with a propane torch to create a patchwork of rainbow-ish spots.
Uhhhhh....I'll have pics when it's done.  BUT, looks like its already sold even before it's built.
Did however manage to put out a couple goodies, pic's below a well as shots of the finished signage at the new joint!
All right, got much to do tomorrow and chillin' with pizza and a movie!
Peace!

18 SPEED COMFORT CRUISER
ONLY $75.00!!

26" DUAL SHOCK MTB
"DAILY BANGER SPECIAL"
ONLY $70.00!!

THE NEW DIGS!!!
YOU'LL SEE THESE LETTER FROM A MILE AWAY!
CHECK OUT THE CHIP HAYNES CREATED LOGO ON OUR FRONT DOOR!!!

Stay On Target....Stay On Target!

All goes according to plan.  Finished the demolition yesterday and began patching walls.  Although the wall space that used to hold the sinks had to come out due to mold from a long ago leak.  And MAN let me tell you! The p-trap in a beauty salon STINKS!!!!  What do you ladies put on your bodies.  MY LORD!  I remenber back in the day doing demolition/construction having to remove antique toilets harboring long lost secrets suspended in rank water and that smelled like a bouquet of Freesia next to this nastiness! 
*GACK!*
Started some painting this afternoon, just to throw some color on the wall, and map out where everything will be going.  Yes, Actually planning this space out as opposed to the first time around via the seat of our pants.  We have a better idea now how to make the space work best for us.
ANYWAY!
Funny.  The other day hard some interesting statistics regarding homosexuality.  Apparently the more boys a mother gives birth to the more likely the younger one may be born homosexual.  Now I have no problem with that, I just think its funny just how prophetic some statistic could be.
I submit for your approval.....our youngest.

Yea.  Quite a striking young man.  Although I had to insist that he couldn't wear leggings with a gown.  Makes a father proud.
So ANYWAY!
Put out two more BMX'ers today but as my mind was all ready at the new shop hours before I went over I forgot to take pics.  Will rectify that tomorrow.  I do however have a couple pics of a real GEM I put out Saturday.  This one someone actually THREW OUT?!?!  Saved by one of our happy scrappers I couldn't believe it.  A 1962 Raleigh Superbe with WORKING DYNOHUB!!!  UNBELIEVABLE!!! Yes, it has a few blemishes, but we tore it down, did a full clean and refurb and she runs like a clock! 
So that's it for now.
Hope to see ya'll tomorrow!

FULLY RE-FURBED 1962 RALEIGH SUPERBE!!
ONLY $175.00!!