Shop Interview: King's Ride
May 27, 2020
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68895 Perez Rd. Ste I-16
Cathedral City, CA 92234 760-567-7092 KingsRideShop.com Sales: BMX-Only + Mail-order Established: 2004 |
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Why are "BMX-focused” shops necessary compared to standard bike shops (or mail-order)?
Before I answer these questions, I’d just like to say that the best people to answer these would be the patrons who frequent BMX shops, especially those who have experienced BMX without a local core shop. But, in my perspective, BMX is a culture—a BMX-only shop is place of like minds. BMX shops aren’t going to size you up and sell you on some profit margin driven corporate junk. We’re going to show you what’s good, what works, and who you’re supporting. BMX shops are the epicenter of their scene—a place a rider is welcome to come meet up, chill, get dialed in, and belong.
What do you think is unique about "BMX-focused” shops (and your shop), versus the “average” bike shop?
I remember when I was younger and before I had a shop, I worked at a shop and would often look at photos of parts and bikes in magazines (most of which I had never seen in real life) as well as look at photos of pros I had never met. The owner of that shop would never stock those core BMX brand parts, which in turn meant no team visits, no local rider support, and no core events. It was only a store—no soul, nothing to belong to. It could disappear and nobody would’ve really cared, only maybe because they’d have to find another place to fix their inner tubes. The BMX industry is tight community that supports each other and we are a part of that system that our culture has created.
Before I answer these questions, I’d just like to say that the best people to answer these would be the patrons who frequent BMX shops, especially those who have experienced BMX without a local core shop. But, in my perspective, BMX is a culture—a BMX-only shop is place of like minds. BMX shops aren’t going to size you up and sell you on some profit margin driven corporate junk. We’re going to show you what’s good, what works, and who you’re supporting. BMX shops are the epicenter of their scene—a place a rider is welcome to come meet up, chill, get dialed in, and belong.
What do you think is unique about "BMX-focused” shops (and your shop), versus the “average” bike shop?
I remember when I was younger and before I had a shop, I worked at a shop and would often look at photos of parts and bikes in magazines (most of which I had never seen in real life) as well as look at photos of pros I had never met. The owner of that shop would never stock those core BMX brand parts, which in turn meant no team visits, no local rider support, and no core events. It was only a store—no soul, nothing to belong to. It could disappear and nobody would’ve really cared, only maybe because they’d have to find another place to fix their inner tubes. The BMX industry is tight community that supports each other and we are a part of that system that our culture has created.
How do you support BMX/the scene/riders in your community?
Supporting the scene has so many different avenues, but I think we are able to make the most of those different ways by holding events, keeping kids rolling, giving them some deserved shine, linking more talented riders up with direct support, and just being here and open to whoever walks in.
What challenges do you face in doing those things?
There is always something that can throw a wrench in the spokes, but, without too much detail it’s important to me that the shop always support BMX the right way. In doing so we hit issues with logistics (who, what, when, where), city government, poor skatepark management, parents, and as always, the monetary expense of things. With that said, we have overcame many challenges and through hard work and effort with mutual support from other entities, we have been able to do some really cool things for—and with—our scene over the past 16 years.
Supporting the scene has so many different avenues, but I think we are able to make the most of those different ways by holding events, keeping kids rolling, giving them some deserved shine, linking more talented riders up with direct support, and just being here and open to whoever walks in.
What challenges do you face in doing those things?
There is always something that can throw a wrench in the spokes, but, without too much detail it’s important to me that the shop always support BMX the right way. In doing so we hit issues with logistics (who, what, when, where), city government, poor skatepark management, parents, and as always, the monetary expense of things. With that said, we have overcame many challenges and through hard work and effort with mutual support from other entities, we have been able to do some really cool things for—and with—our scene over the past 16 years.
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?
Over time it gets easier and more apparent who needs help and who expects whatever they’ve cooked up in their head. A rider coming in spending every nickel they can to keep their bike rolling can catch a break from us. Other guys who have supported us always and always will, they deserve a bit more in return—but never expect it. We always are more than fair with what we charge for what you get. If somebody comes expecting a hook up, as soon as those words roll out of their mouth I instantly don’t want to do anything for them, ha. If you deserve something, I’ll be the one to tell you and make sure you get it.
Over time it gets easier and more apparent who needs help and who expects whatever they’ve cooked up in their head. A rider coming in spending every nickel they can to keep their bike rolling can catch a break from us. Other guys who have supported us always and always will, they deserve a bit more in return—but never expect it. We always are more than fair with what we charge for what you get. If somebody comes expecting a hook up, as soon as those words roll out of their mouth I instantly don’t want to do anything for them, ha. If you deserve something, I’ll be the one to tell you and make sure you get it.
How does the internet affect you?
The Internet is a great tool that has helped the shop far more than hurt it. As the old saying goes, “paper doesn’t resist ink;” and just like that, the internet doesn’t resist people’s bullshit. It’s unfortunate to see a rise in shitty online direct bike brands like Framed, Elite, Mafia, etc. who sell horrible product with little to no support for the BMX industry or culture. They have no team riders, no events, and no technical support, and are just pumping out trash. Even things like vlogs, poor video content, the lack of personal connection with people creates a bad vibe at times, but I do think the people who get into riding don’t take too long to filter out the bullshit. On the flip side we are able to reach way more customers faster and efficiently as well as create hype and interact in ways we never could before. Change is something you have to embrace, work with, and continually move forward into in the best way possible. It’s not always easy to adapt, but it’s always necessary. The retail landscape is changing daily and to me that’s exciting. I enjoy the challenges.
How does running a BMX shop differ from a standard business like a restaurant or clothing store?
This is a good question. I think we have to be much more creative with marketing and knowing seasonal trends and do things that keep return customers coming through often. A bike is a long term purchase so you need to keep people coming back between bike purchases. Kings is kind of a clothing and BMX shop—there is a balance—and they each hold their own. In a restaurant (which is an insanely hard business) the consumer is usually a really broad demographic, so it’s not as hard to target your market. We spend a lot of time finding products that can increase units per transaction, things that complement each other. As well as items that hit our target market. Sometimes going out of your comfort zone is a good move. For example, it’s always easy to order black parts (a safe bet), but when a limited or new color drops, somebody will be looking for it. Another example is when Lotek dropped the green/black/white throwback shoe. I saw that shoe and thought: “Look at that ugly ass shoe…order quantity: zero.” Then Dak wore them and every other kid was asking when I’d get them in. I had to scramble to get a few. It was a good lesson: what I like isn’t always what’s going to sell and sometimes you have to look at things more objectively. We deal with a market that trends and style can shift quickly while some stay stubborn to change—we have to balance the two. I still blow it time to time, though, ha.
The Internet is a great tool that has helped the shop far more than hurt it. As the old saying goes, “paper doesn’t resist ink;” and just like that, the internet doesn’t resist people’s bullshit. It’s unfortunate to see a rise in shitty online direct bike brands like Framed, Elite, Mafia, etc. who sell horrible product with little to no support for the BMX industry or culture. They have no team riders, no events, and no technical support, and are just pumping out trash. Even things like vlogs, poor video content, the lack of personal connection with people creates a bad vibe at times, but I do think the people who get into riding don’t take too long to filter out the bullshit. On the flip side we are able to reach way more customers faster and efficiently as well as create hype and interact in ways we never could before. Change is something you have to embrace, work with, and continually move forward into in the best way possible. It’s not always easy to adapt, but it’s always necessary. The retail landscape is changing daily and to me that’s exciting. I enjoy the challenges.
How does running a BMX shop differ from a standard business like a restaurant or clothing store?
This is a good question. I think we have to be much more creative with marketing and knowing seasonal trends and do things that keep return customers coming through often. A bike is a long term purchase so you need to keep people coming back between bike purchases. Kings is kind of a clothing and BMX shop—there is a balance—and they each hold their own. In a restaurant (which is an insanely hard business) the consumer is usually a really broad demographic, so it’s not as hard to target your market. We spend a lot of time finding products that can increase units per transaction, things that complement each other. As well as items that hit our target market. Sometimes going out of your comfort zone is a good move. For example, it’s always easy to order black parts (a safe bet), but when a limited or new color drops, somebody will be looking for it. Another example is when Lotek dropped the green/black/white throwback shoe. I saw that shoe and thought: “Look at that ugly ass shoe…order quantity: zero.” Then Dak wore them and every other kid was asking when I’d get them in. I had to scramble to get a few. It was a good lesson: what I like isn’t always what’s going to sell and sometimes you have to look at things more objectively. We deal with a market that trends and style can shift quickly while some stay stubborn to change—we have to balance the two. I still blow it time to time, though, ha.
What are the most enjoyable aspects of owning a bike shop?
The most enjoyable aspect has to be chalked up to meeting so many people that I admire as well as watching riders progress and see how BMX changes their life. As corny as it seems, being my own boss has it’s upside. Not to mention, my family can come hangout and I get to be creative and take on what I feel confident in.
If you could, how would you change the way BMX parts are made, distributed, and marketed?
Made- I don’t have a lot to do with how parts are made, but it’d be nice to reduce the cost of innovation. Bikes are better than ever, but there is still a lot that could be improved and I know it is expensive to re-tool everything and then integrate it into bike lines.
Distributed- This has changed a lot since we opened in 2004. More core brands have distributed themselves which helps core shops like mine. As for large distributors, places like QBP does a decent job. My biggest issue is when a corny shop carries a core brand, degrades the quality of that brand, and in turn customers don’t find the same value with the brand in a core shop—they make it less special and way less cool.
Marketed- Obviously a little more co-op between brands and core shops would be cool. BMX lacks a strong media right now. Not to knock anyone and the landscape has drastically changed but where can a brand advertise? Or reach potential customers other than social media? It’s hard. Most brands rely on themselves and their riders, along with those riders other sponsors pushing them on social media. That probably helps their websites make sales but doesn’t direct too many customers to shops. Also, brands could identify what a shop offers in store and even online that brands can’t. We’ve worked with Cult a lot to create collaborations, events, and promotions to work through any potential issues and have been able to continually grow support with each other. Matt at Profile reached out to make a collaboration hubset with the shop and Steven Mack which creates a lot of loyalty here. Odyssey and Sunday reach out too and listen well to ideas. Vans, which does a lot via sales reps (whose time can be spread thin) try at a corporate level to support core shops with core exclusive shoes only available at shops like Kings. This shows that if you reach out and try, the market can be stable and grow.
Long term goals and/or plans for your shop?
Create more shop branded product, better online content, more events to support the scene, and empower BMX riders.
The most enjoyable aspect has to be chalked up to meeting so many people that I admire as well as watching riders progress and see how BMX changes their life. As corny as it seems, being my own boss has it’s upside. Not to mention, my family can come hangout and I get to be creative and take on what I feel confident in.
If you could, how would you change the way BMX parts are made, distributed, and marketed?
Made- I don’t have a lot to do with how parts are made, but it’d be nice to reduce the cost of innovation. Bikes are better than ever, but there is still a lot that could be improved and I know it is expensive to re-tool everything and then integrate it into bike lines.
Distributed- This has changed a lot since we opened in 2004. More core brands have distributed themselves which helps core shops like mine. As for large distributors, places like QBP does a decent job. My biggest issue is when a corny shop carries a core brand, degrades the quality of that brand, and in turn customers don’t find the same value with the brand in a core shop—they make it less special and way less cool.
Marketed- Obviously a little more co-op between brands and core shops would be cool. BMX lacks a strong media right now. Not to knock anyone and the landscape has drastically changed but where can a brand advertise? Or reach potential customers other than social media? It’s hard. Most brands rely on themselves and their riders, along with those riders other sponsors pushing them on social media. That probably helps their websites make sales but doesn’t direct too many customers to shops. Also, brands could identify what a shop offers in store and even online that brands can’t. We’ve worked with Cult a lot to create collaborations, events, and promotions to work through any potential issues and have been able to continually grow support with each other. Matt at Profile reached out to make a collaboration hubset with the shop and Steven Mack which creates a lot of loyalty here. Odyssey and Sunday reach out too and listen well to ideas. Vans, which does a lot via sales reps (whose time can be spread thin) try at a corporate level to support core shops with core exclusive shoes only available at shops like Kings. This shows that if you reach out and try, the market can be stable and grow.
Long term goals and/or plans for your shop?
Create more shop branded product, better online content, more events to support the scene, and empower BMX riders.