Shop Interview: Circuit BMX
April 19, 2020
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29 Exchange St.,
Pawtucket, RI 02860 401-305-3636 www.CircuitBMX.com Sales: BMX-only Established: 2006 |
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Why are "BMX-focused” shops necessary compared to standard bike shops (or mail-order)?
First off, I just want to say that all bike shops are important. They all serve their purpose. As for BMX-focused shops, they serve a community that most bike shops don’t have the resources to focus on because the owners are interested in other types of bikes, and those bikes bring in a lot more revenue. That was my main reason for opening Circuit—to support and advocate for a community that did not have that in the past. Once you do that you will see that support come back to you from every direction.
Circuit is a specialty shop, so we’re able to offer a much wider selection of products than your average bike shop and we’re going to have a lot more knowledge of the products and how to repair them. We also specialize in building BMX wheels and custom-built complete bikes, which is uncommon for most bikes shops. When you focus on one facet of the cycling world and give it 100 percent I feel like you can't lose. It would be great to see more specialty shops in cycling instead of “bike shops” trying to tackle every form of cycling. Utopian, I know!
What do you think is unique about "BMX-focused” shops (and your shop), versus the “average” bike shop?
Like I said before, we are the experts in our field. We’ll know about the rare thing you're looking for, we’ll have the latest parts that just came out, and we’ll have everything you need in stock. We’ll build you wheels, and we’ll find you the best bike for your riding style. We do almost all of our repairs and installs on the spot while the customer watches. Our labor fees are minimal compared to a bike shop with a full staff. We try to educate our customers on how to maintain their bikes. We will go above and beyond to make the rider/customer happy. Most shops just can’t specialize in all types of bicycles. And they usually don’t care about BMX, except for stocking a few lower-end completes because the margin just isn't there in the BMX market as it is the road or MTB markets. Circuit is unique compared to most other shops. It's fully stocked, we have “pro” riders in and out on the regular, and we are constantly hosting or helping with local and national jams every season. It’s become a destination of sorts. Some folks will travel hours just to check it out and maybe pick up a shirt or grips. I’m always flattered when that happens.
First off, I just want to say that all bike shops are important. They all serve their purpose. As for BMX-focused shops, they serve a community that most bike shops don’t have the resources to focus on because the owners are interested in other types of bikes, and those bikes bring in a lot more revenue. That was my main reason for opening Circuit—to support and advocate for a community that did not have that in the past. Once you do that you will see that support come back to you from every direction.
Circuit is a specialty shop, so we’re able to offer a much wider selection of products than your average bike shop and we’re going to have a lot more knowledge of the products and how to repair them. We also specialize in building BMX wheels and custom-built complete bikes, which is uncommon for most bikes shops. When you focus on one facet of the cycling world and give it 100 percent I feel like you can't lose. It would be great to see more specialty shops in cycling instead of “bike shops” trying to tackle every form of cycling. Utopian, I know!
What do you think is unique about "BMX-focused” shops (and your shop), versus the “average” bike shop?
Like I said before, we are the experts in our field. We’ll know about the rare thing you're looking for, we’ll have the latest parts that just came out, and we’ll have everything you need in stock. We’ll build you wheels, and we’ll find you the best bike for your riding style. We do almost all of our repairs and installs on the spot while the customer watches. Our labor fees are minimal compared to a bike shop with a full staff. We try to educate our customers on how to maintain their bikes. We will go above and beyond to make the rider/customer happy. Most shops just can’t specialize in all types of bicycles. And they usually don’t care about BMX, except for stocking a few lower-end completes because the margin just isn't there in the BMX market as it is the road or MTB markets. Circuit is unique compared to most other shops. It's fully stocked, we have “pro” riders in and out on the regular, and we are constantly hosting or helping with local and national jams every season. It’s become a destination of sorts. Some folks will travel hours just to check it out and maybe pick up a shirt or grips. I’m always flattered when that happens.
How do you support BMX/the scene/riders in your community?
Being riders ourselves, we just do things that we want to be a part of. We’ll host a jam or an event because it’s something we want to do with our friends. We've helped create new riding spots and are constantly working with local municipalities with ongoing projects. Also, we’ve been able to advocate for some of our team riders to get them hooked up with some of the best names in BMX. We are firm believers in, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Being riders ourselves, we just do things that we want to be a part of. We’ll host a jam or an event because it’s something we want to do with our friends. We've helped create new riding spots and are constantly working with local municipalities with ongoing projects. Also, we’ve been able to advocate for some of our team riders to get them hooked up with some of the best names in BMX. We are firm believers in, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
What challenges do you face in doing those things?
Insuring events and spots is by far the biggest issue, especially on the east coast where insurance laws are a barrier to getting projects done. Over the past 14 years we’ve done a lot of risky things—like shut down streets without permission or permits—but as we get older we’re getting a little more worried about those kinds of things. In general though, we have the support and help of a huge BMX community that loves to get together for jams and events so getting help is never an issue. Bringing together people from different types of riding is also super fun to do. We love getting the street guys out into the woods, and vice versa.
How do you balance offering services to the community (and particularly kids in need), and your need to stay in business and make a reasonable living?
We’re first and foremost a business, so we obviously charge for installation and repairs with one exception: we service all of the complete bikes for free that are purchased in store for the life of the bike. We are constantly going above and beyond on most bikes that come in the shop. For example: a kid comes in for a tube replacement and we notice he needs some adjustments throughout the bike; we will always take care of it if it's an easy turn of the wrench. We can’t let a customer leave the shop with a bike that is unsafe to ride. Any honest shop should have the same practice. I definitely lose money on labor and every bicycle industry finance person will tell you I’m doing it all wrong, but this is what feels right to us. For a while we had a shared tools area so people could come in and work on bikes themselves. Aside from the fact that we’ll lose our insurance if they ever found out, it just became too hectic in the shop so we stopped doing that. We try to just charge very fair prices. We are not looking to rip anyone off or make a buck off a little kid.
How do you balance selling BMX stuff with other kinds of bikes/stuff? Is the crossover helpful or would you prefer to just focus on BMX?
We only sell BMX stuff and it’s really nice to have the shop be comprehensive to just BMX. We’re able to fill our inventory with lots of options that other shops might not be able to do. I've had some friends push me on getting into the MTB market and changing the shop up, but I just can't see myself doing it.
How does the internet affect you?
Despite people having the ability to order things online, we really see people needing our advice, opinions on what to buy, and our knowledge of putting it all together. All the time people come in and say, “I wanna build up a new bike. What should I get?” and we go from there. No internet store is gonna help you through picking out every part for your bike like that. I spend hours with customers, for no charge, talking about bike parts and solving difficult repair issues. I don’t think the internet will ever replace the need for a real-life bike specialist. Some new riders will just go online and build their favorite pro riders exact build. More often than not they end up building something that isn't suited for their size or style of riding. We’re here to educate those riders on what works best for them.
How does running a BMX shop differ from a standard business like a restaurant or clothing store?
Number one is the community; we are actually part of it. There is nothing else like the BMX community. We love helping our customers in every sense of the word.
Even though the day-to-day operations of a BMX shop do get stressful, I've never had a moment where I didn’t love what I was doing. I'm not sure If I would feel that way running any other type of business. In the end I know I’m serving my community and keeping people stoked on BMX.
On the actual business side, our profit margins are lower than any other retail market that I can think of. In addition to the sales, the other half of the business is service. So having staff that can do both is crucial.
At the end of the day, our customers are our friends that we ride with. Not many restaurants or retail businesses have that shared passion.
Insuring events and spots is by far the biggest issue, especially on the east coast where insurance laws are a barrier to getting projects done. Over the past 14 years we’ve done a lot of risky things—like shut down streets without permission or permits—but as we get older we’re getting a little more worried about those kinds of things. In general though, we have the support and help of a huge BMX community that loves to get together for jams and events so getting help is never an issue. Bringing together people from different types of riding is also super fun to do. We love getting the street guys out into the woods, and vice versa.
How do you balance offering services to the community (and particularly kids in need), and your need to stay in business and make a reasonable living?
We’re first and foremost a business, so we obviously charge for installation and repairs with one exception: we service all of the complete bikes for free that are purchased in store for the life of the bike. We are constantly going above and beyond on most bikes that come in the shop. For example: a kid comes in for a tube replacement and we notice he needs some adjustments throughout the bike; we will always take care of it if it's an easy turn of the wrench. We can’t let a customer leave the shop with a bike that is unsafe to ride. Any honest shop should have the same practice. I definitely lose money on labor and every bicycle industry finance person will tell you I’m doing it all wrong, but this is what feels right to us. For a while we had a shared tools area so people could come in and work on bikes themselves. Aside from the fact that we’ll lose our insurance if they ever found out, it just became too hectic in the shop so we stopped doing that. We try to just charge very fair prices. We are not looking to rip anyone off or make a buck off a little kid.
How do you balance selling BMX stuff with other kinds of bikes/stuff? Is the crossover helpful or would you prefer to just focus on BMX?
We only sell BMX stuff and it’s really nice to have the shop be comprehensive to just BMX. We’re able to fill our inventory with lots of options that other shops might not be able to do. I've had some friends push me on getting into the MTB market and changing the shop up, but I just can't see myself doing it.
How does the internet affect you?
Despite people having the ability to order things online, we really see people needing our advice, opinions on what to buy, and our knowledge of putting it all together. All the time people come in and say, “I wanna build up a new bike. What should I get?” and we go from there. No internet store is gonna help you through picking out every part for your bike like that. I spend hours with customers, for no charge, talking about bike parts and solving difficult repair issues. I don’t think the internet will ever replace the need for a real-life bike specialist. Some new riders will just go online and build their favorite pro riders exact build. More often than not they end up building something that isn't suited for their size or style of riding. We’re here to educate those riders on what works best for them.
How does running a BMX shop differ from a standard business like a restaurant or clothing store?
Number one is the community; we are actually part of it. There is nothing else like the BMX community. We love helping our customers in every sense of the word.
Even though the day-to-day operations of a BMX shop do get stressful, I've never had a moment where I didn’t love what I was doing. I'm not sure If I would feel that way running any other type of business. In the end I know I’m serving my community and keeping people stoked on BMX.
On the actual business side, our profit margins are lower than any other retail market that I can think of. In addition to the sales, the other half of the business is service. So having staff that can do both is crucial.
At the end of the day, our customers are our friends that we ride with. Not many restaurants or retail businesses have that shared passion.
What are the most enjoyable aspects of owning a bike shop?
Helping people get stoked on BMX (even when it means you ride less). There is nothing better than meeting up for a session and seeing all your friend’s bikes looking so dialed. Also, being able to set up jams/trips with some of the brands we deal with. Working with all the distros and building a rapport with the sales reps has been fun over the years .
Another enjoyable aspect is seeing kids grow from groms to adults and becoming rad bike riders and rad people. Also, being able to have design input on local parks and riding spots is also nice. We’ve been in business for a while now, so we have the ear of the city officials.
The list can go on!
If you could, how would you change the way BMX parts are made, distributed, and marketed?
Years ago there was a problem with over-stock and brands being left with last season's product. Now we see the opposite happening with some brands. We are seeing a higher demand and not enough product. It would be nice to see that balance out but I know it's hard to predict what will move fast and what won't. This makes it hard for us to get stock during certain parts of the season. We aren't 75 and sunny year round so having products available when we need them is crucial.
Also, I think there needs to be an industry-wide agreement to raise prices, which we are starting to see. It’s absurd to me that BMX products cost so little in comparison to other types of bikes. Particularly when you're buying a frame that’s made in America, why wouldn’t you want to pay that welder a living wage and support the company that supports the riders you love? The whole system makes no sense to me. When S&M raised their prices last year I thought, “Good for them.” The industry expectation is that BMX bikes are for little kids and they aren’t worth more, or parents won’t pay more for them. First of all, the majority of our customers are adults, and second of all, it is part of our job to show customers what the products are worth. And we do that in part by displaying them in a nice way and surrounding the products with beautiful photos of riders using the parts. You’ve gotta elevate the product if you expect people to value it as much as you do.
Lastly, there is a desire by some brands to cut the distros out and sell their products directly to customers on their websites. Lots of brands are available direct now, which means you can go right to a brand’s website and purchase a bike or part and have it shipped to your house. This could kill the local BMX shop so we need to stay on top of it and educate our customers about why supporting a shop is in their best interest. We’ve been vocal with the brands doing some of the shady deals and I feel we’ve been heard to an extent. These are the same brands that we offer at Circuit, and support by selling their products, so we would hope to get their support as a business as well! Most of the brands do a great job sending customers to the closest shop in their area, but we really need to make sure it stays that way. Customers have a choice of where to send their money—directly to a brand by buying direct or by purchasing through a bike shop and giving to a small business that supports them. The bottom line: direct-to-consumer sales will kill shops.
Long term goals and/or plans for your shop?
My ultimate goal would be to work less and have an employee—hopefully Chris—there more. I've been working 6 days a week for 14 years. Up until COVID-19 hit, I hadn’t taken a break longer than 10 days in all those years. So I think that it would be nice to ride a little more and work a little less if we can afford it.
Other than that we will continue to do what we love to do. And that's to serve the BMX community the best we can. And maybe get into the MTB Market…JK.
- Cara & Victor Bettencort
Helping people get stoked on BMX (even when it means you ride less). There is nothing better than meeting up for a session and seeing all your friend’s bikes looking so dialed. Also, being able to set up jams/trips with some of the brands we deal with. Working with all the distros and building a rapport with the sales reps has been fun over the years .
Another enjoyable aspect is seeing kids grow from groms to adults and becoming rad bike riders and rad people. Also, being able to have design input on local parks and riding spots is also nice. We’ve been in business for a while now, so we have the ear of the city officials.
The list can go on!
If you could, how would you change the way BMX parts are made, distributed, and marketed?
Years ago there was a problem with over-stock and brands being left with last season's product. Now we see the opposite happening with some brands. We are seeing a higher demand and not enough product. It would be nice to see that balance out but I know it's hard to predict what will move fast and what won't. This makes it hard for us to get stock during certain parts of the season. We aren't 75 and sunny year round so having products available when we need them is crucial.
Also, I think there needs to be an industry-wide agreement to raise prices, which we are starting to see. It’s absurd to me that BMX products cost so little in comparison to other types of bikes. Particularly when you're buying a frame that’s made in America, why wouldn’t you want to pay that welder a living wage and support the company that supports the riders you love? The whole system makes no sense to me. When S&M raised their prices last year I thought, “Good for them.” The industry expectation is that BMX bikes are for little kids and they aren’t worth more, or parents won’t pay more for them. First of all, the majority of our customers are adults, and second of all, it is part of our job to show customers what the products are worth. And we do that in part by displaying them in a nice way and surrounding the products with beautiful photos of riders using the parts. You’ve gotta elevate the product if you expect people to value it as much as you do.
Lastly, there is a desire by some brands to cut the distros out and sell their products directly to customers on their websites. Lots of brands are available direct now, which means you can go right to a brand’s website and purchase a bike or part and have it shipped to your house. This could kill the local BMX shop so we need to stay on top of it and educate our customers about why supporting a shop is in their best interest. We’ve been vocal with the brands doing some of the shady deals and I feel we’ve been heard to an extent. These are the same brands that we offer at Circuit, and support by selling their products, so we would hope to get their support as a business as well! Most of the brands do a great job sending customers to the closest shop in their area, but we really need to make sure it stays that way. Customers have a choice of where to send their money—directly to a brand by buying direct or by purchasing through a bike shop and giving to a small business that supports them. The bottom line: direct-to-consumer sales will kill shops.
Long term goals and/or plans for your shop?
My ultimate goal would be to work less and have an employee—hopefully Chris—there more. I've been working 6 days a week for 14 years. Up until COVID-19 hit, I hadn’t taken a break longer than 10 days in all those years. So I think that it would be nice to ride a little more and work a little less if we can afford it.
Other than that we will continue to do what we love to do. And that's to serve the BMX community the best we can. And maybe get into the MTB Market…JK.
- Cara & Victor Bettencort