Kegel’s Bicycle Store: Best Bicycle Shop Profiles
Kegel’s Bicycle Store in Rockford, Illinois is owned by Robb Sinks. He has owned the business for the last 22 years. The business has been around Rockford under the same name since at least 1927! Robb still has paperwork going back that whole time. The business also could be older as there is a connection to a business called Kegel’s Harley Davidson which could be the oldest Harley Davidson dealership in the world. What a cool history!
Today – Kegel’s Bicycle Store
Robb works most days in the store and is generally found on the sales floor delivering the type of customer service that is special when it comes from the owner. His wife works behind the scenes in the business taking care of the book work. While Robb still loves to roll up his sleeves and work on bikes, it’s generally pretty difficult as is pulled away so much to return to the sales floor.
THE FUTURE –Kegel’s Bicycle Store
At 57 years old Robb still has some time to keep selling bikes, but he has developed a succession plan for when it is time to retire. The real estate is owned by Robb which puts him in a great position with many options for when that day comes. I am a big fan of owning your real estate as a way to increase the value of your business, and to exert control over your destiny.
CHALLENGES – Kegel’s Bicycle Store
Robb felt his answer to the question may have been a “cop-out”, but he expressed a similar sentiment to many retailers that Amazon was a tough foe. He related a story of a shop sponsored riders sharing their newest purchase from the internet, a situation any retailer who sponsors riders and teams has probably experienced. Robb wasn’t bitter though and understood how easy it is to purchase online, and that the person simply did not connect the dots.
E-BIKES FOR THE WIN – Kegel’s Bicycle Store
Asked to identify a bright spot it was without hesitation Robb highlighted the almost doubling of his e-bike business in only his second year of seriously selling them. He feels confident that the “e-bike thing is going to pop”. His success is coming primarily from recreational riders/bikes with there still being some stigma with the emtb product in his area. There is a new mountain bike trail system being built near his shop and emtb’s are legal on that system, so there is potential for good growth in that segment.
PLACES TO RIDE = INCREASED SALES
There has been recent mountain bike trail development as noted above and that system is only about ⅓ finished, but Kegel’s has already seen a nice bump in mountain bike sales as a result. More places to ride = increased enthusiasm which in turn can lead to increased sales. This is not a new concept, but continuously repeated wherever it happens. While all retailers have many hats to wear and jobs to perform, anything you can do to help increase riding access will be rewarded.
Robb has a great business that he and his wife work in, on a daily basis to deliver great customer service and to help their communities riders get out and stay out on the roads and trails, and multiple Best Bicycle Shop awards through the years is a testament to their hard work.
And with that, we wish to congratulate Kegel’s Bicycle Shop on being named one of America’s Best Bike Shops for 2019!
Words by David DeKeyser
David DeKeyser and his wife Rebecca Cleveland owned and operated The Bike Hub in De Pere, Wisconsin, for nearly 18 years. In 2018, they sold the business and real estate to another retailer based in a nearby community. David now writes the Positive Spin series on Bicycle Retailer and Industry News and he writes articles for the NBDA’s blog, Outspokin’. David also provides business consulting through the NBDA’s P2 Consult Program.
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