Bike Werx winning war against the big boys
06/18/08
BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY
Red Deer Express
While Red Deer may be smack in the middle of Calgary and Red Deer, local entrepreneur Bike Werx Jenn Watts refuses to be squeezed out by the big boys.
In fact, she is now finding her competition north and south is beginning to feel her bite.
“I think people are starting to notice we are here, and I even have customers that are coming from Edmonton and Calgary – making the trip in the other direction now,” said Watts.
The 32-year-old business owner’s shop has just started its fourth year of operation, and for each of its first three years citizens have voted it the Best Bike Shop in the Express’ annual Best of Red Deer awards.
“It validates what we do every day. I think it gives us a sense that we are moving in the right direction,” said Watts. “Of course we all understand we are not perfect. There are always things we can improve on every season.”
Watts has been around bikes for most of her life. Her parents owned a bike shop in Red Deer for many years. She worked there until it closed six years ago.
For a year after she worked for others but knew quickly she had to get back into the game for herself and she opened Bike Werx, a store that specializes in mid to high end bikes, and skis and snowboards during the winter months.
When she began her new venture Red Deer consumers did not have an outlet that specialized in those recreational items and Watts’ business took off.
“I think customer service is our claim to fame,” said Watts. “We try very hard, and of course you can’t please everybody but we try to do what ever we can to make sure people get the product they need, and we stand behind what we sell.”
In the beginning Bike Werx was facing stiff competition from Calgary and Edmonton. Locals had established their loyalties and were willing to make the drive to either United Cycle in Edmonton or The Bike Shop in Calgary.
“Those are big, big shops that sell thousands upon thousands of bikes and you can go there and see a vast selection that I obviously can’t house here being as small as I am,” said Watts, whose store is located at 5809 – 51 Ave. “That is part of the reason there is not as many (bike shops) in Red Deer.
“It is a tough business. There is not as much money in it as people would like to think. This is something I do because I love it.”
Her love for biking and skiing is obviously registering with locals. They instantly know the folks at Bike Werx not only love what they do but know all the ins and outs of the business. The proof of the store’s success is that it has grown 50 % every year.
That success has been so rapid and huge Watts said it may soon come to a point where her store might become too busy, a scenario she won’t let happen if it interferes with quality customer service.
“There is definitely a point when you can get too busy. It gets stressful when there is only two or three of you here, and everybody wants their bike tomorrow,” said Watts.
“We are trying to make progress to the point where we will be able to decrease those turnover times.”
jbachusky@reddeer.greatwest.ca 309-5456
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