PSA: Calmar Cycles (Santa Clara,CA) closing door

[velobaba]

Calmar Cycles in Santa Clara is closing shop at the end of March, 2017. They are going to start their liquidation sale on Feb 27, 2017.

https://calmarcycles.com/thank-for-the-years-of-support

Jalal

[ultraman6970]

Looks like a nice store. sadly too far for me to go and check it out :)

Hope they find another location later.

[cachagua]

Isn't that a pity! I don't know where retailers like that are going to go, if anywhere. We may just have to get along without them.

Their little message on the web page describes exactly the situation in a lot of places where the economy's strong. Cities want to increase density instead of having people commute from 20 or 50 miles away, which is wonderful, but if the tradeoff is that you have to go the same distance to get to a store you want to shop in, that's not an improvement. Not far from me, a generations-old, family-owned hardware store, which I depended on for supplies and tools in my (former) work, is about to evaporate -- the city is rezoning the neighborhood to mid-rise, and their taxes (they own their building) will go through the roof. At the same time their permit costs are increasing. The owner has told me he may try to find a place outside town for a new store, but the move would be costly and time-consuming and he may just retire... It's easy to invoke a kind of economic Darwinism and say if places like this can't stay competitive, well, too bad, that's life in the big city -- but the community will be poorer for their absence.

[weisan]

It's easy to invoke a kind of economic Darwinism and say if places like this can't stay competitive, well, too bad, that's life in the big city -- but the community will be poorer for their absence.

I agree.

[fiamme red]

My bike shop closed in November after 18 years in the same location, because the landlord wanted to double the rent. Now when I need a repair done, I visit my mechanic's workshop in his apartment.

[Pelican]

I was surprised to see this since Calmar is one of the better local shops. I was just there two weeks ago and the store looked clean, inviting and the staff were friendly as usual. If these guys can't stay in business, I don't see how mediocre stores can survive. I'll definitely be visiting them over the next few weeks (I want the bike display stands!).

[oldpotatoe]

I was surprised to see this since Calmar is one of the better local shops. I was just there two weeks ago and the store looked clean, inviting and the staff were friendly as usual. If these guys can't stay in business, I don't see how mediocre stores can survive. I'll definitely be visiting them over the next few weeks (I want the bike display stands!).

A lot of them don't. Fixed costs go up continually these days(post economic meltdown). Margins stay low or shrink. Volume only makes up for so much. You reach a plateau where adding service bays, and the expense involved, may or not 'pay for itself'. Only so many hours in the day. Bike shops are becoming 'bike delivery centers', and with the big boys going direct, that is threatened as well. Additionally, removing service, stands and people, may not 'save' enough $. Tough biz, retail, bike retail even more so.