Yes, it's that time of year again where the weather gets warmer and we can no longer hang with the doors open, relying on the AC once again. Normally, when we get really cracking in the work bay with cleaners, degreasers and the wire wheel is running we prop open the back door and turn on the fan. That is, before we accidentally broke the fan. So now, when the work is afoot we really start to smell like a bike shop! And a few folks have noticed. Sorry to anyone who may not like the smell of rubber, grease and cleaners. Occupational hazard.
SOOOO, all my worrying and stressing turned out to be unnecessary. We met with the Detective and owner of the stolen bikes and they were both very cool. The officer had done his homework and realized we had followed the letter of the law and were in the clear! Apparently the delay in reporting the crime was due to the fact that the victim knew the thief and didn't realize that the items had been taken until later. The officer gave us the option (as the victim had no real evidence that the remaining bike was his) to hold onto the bike, but as I told them, our reputation is worth WAY more then the few dollars we paid for and invested in rebuilding the bike, and released it back to him. In the end, my paranoia was unfounded. Perhaps I need to stop watching movies like "Enemy of the State"!
ANYWAY!!
Today we are busily prepping the area for our NEW movie section!!!! We have been working diligently all week to lessen the amount of bikes in bone row to make room. Thanks to Terry for the recycled wood we needed to build the racks! The boys have moved a couple of the "Some-day-I'll-get-to-them" bikes down to the house, and we are continuing to burn through the rest! Elijah will be handling most of the rack building, and tomorrow Mom and Dad will be going through our extensive collection and start ferrying them over. We have been buying movies over the last couple of weeks and gotten some really cool selections. We realize this is an odd combination to sell in one shop. One is focused on exercise and activity while the other lends itself to lethargy. But as we love both? What the heck! Not to mention that I tend to cling to the "old" and miss the experience of visiting the traditional "video shop". Blockbuster and Hollywood Video don't apply. But have NO fear, the space allotted for videos is small and will not exceed it's area. We are STILL a bike shop!
All right, the boys are back from their errands and now I need to get them going on their tasks as I finish up some repairs!
See ya soon!
Check out the newbies we built yesterday!
Steven-
ReplyDeleteI've always thought bike shops should smell like Tubasi, the glue used to hold sew-up tires to rims. They used to. They should.
Glad to hear the hot bikes worked out, but as you know, there's always more. One got pinched in our neighborhood over the weekend- no description, except of the thieves.
And... um... I've really hesistated to ask this for some time, but I must, and please don't hate me: What, exactly, is the difference between movie videos/DVDs and golf balls? I mean, other than the fact that you're not fishing them out of ponds in the dark of night.
'Tis a slippery slope, m'lad.
Yes, Agreed. I've always had a fondness for the smell of antique books, newsprint and cardboard.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend was VERY busy for thieves! We had several "spotters" out in our neighborhood as well, and the older boys were making their very best "threatening" presense known to all the little rodents scurrying about.
As far as Golf Balls and Video's? Well aside from the obvious, I've had so many folks come into the shop, see the collection of DVD's we had on the side shelf, and start looking through them asking if we sell movies. That, coupled with my obvious obsession with movies, it was only a matter of time. We are dedicating very little space to it (and no time actually maintaining them!) It might also help take the edge off the summer months around here as it tends to slow up a bit.
I do so hope you don't start to avid us like "golf balls" LOL!
Steven-
ReplyDeleteBad news, my friend: It's gonna take a whole more than that to get ride of me. I undertsand, OH, do I understand, that a bicycle shop is a low-profit high-effort concern. Mnay hours per meager coin. If you can hedge yer bets with some easy cash, who am I to bark?
Funny thing, though: It just dawned on me, as I read your blog, that bike thieves are doing the very same thing: Hedging their bets against a long hot summer by stealing bikes NOW.
That's GREAT to hear! I can not call our week complete without at least ONE visit from Uncle Chip! Love ya man!
ReplyDeleteAs far as bike thieves? Remember to check your gun laws folks!