Reinvent Retail

Urban Velo is pretty sweet, I think they’re the closest thing the indie biking community has to Pitchfork.

Anyway, they had a great article about how the recent surge of bike shops is creating a whole new customer looking for something “cool.”

I think this same concept can apply to many different markets. Coming from a college-radio-snob-music-fan background, I usually feel like I have to get the chip off my shoulder when I’m in a retail setting, where it’s generally ok to let your guard down. (Think High Fidelity, where even the biggest record snob maybe doesn’t know about the Flaming Groovies, let alone Cut Copy)

Generally retail employees and owners LOVE what they are selling and want to help people buy it. I had never heard of Dahan bicycles before talking with the owner at Paradise Garage here in Columbus. That doesn’t mean I can’t think that they’re cool.

The lesson I learned… never be ashamed to be a customer.