On the move and In the House!

The BikeHut is like a kid that's growing out of old shoes. You know what I mean. Kids go thru shoes so fast as they grow, I can't help but think that BikeHut goes thru shops in the same manner. Hopefully this time we've found a good fit for a long while!

Not too long ago (one year and six months) we moved into our third store in Tokai since opening in 2003, knowing that it was a big step forward but also, paradoxically, knowing that it was not big enough to begin with. Seems a strange move to make, but I was not ready to move BikeHut to another location. Although we took every shop that became available at the small centre we were in, I knew that another move was inevitable - the workshop was cramped, storage was at a premium and we needed to be able to put more bikes on the floor. Man do bikes take up space!

The new spot is on Ou Kaapse Weg in Sun Valley. We're converting a house into a showroom and we've got oodles of space for storage and the workshop. We're all pretty excited really. This is going to be a different kind of cycle business for sure.

I like the fact that we're on a major cycling route and near to some great peninsula mountain biking also. Only 10 minutes further south of where we were is no big deal, especially when you consider the awesome mountain pass you'll drive (or cycle) over to reach us. I'm going to miss seeing the views in either direction on the way to or from the shop in Tokai. The southern peninsula is truely spectacular.

I'm proud of what my red-headed step-child bike shop has done in the last four seasons. I always dreamed of owning a bike shop so it's great in many respects, but it is dang hard work raising this kid! I owe a lot to my staff and their hard work, particularly Ian whose been with me from the start. Please buy him a beer - he's really an awesome techie with a love of 5 inch trail bikes!

The new locaton will allow us to introduce some new great brands to our stable, namely GIANT and Scott. Plus we'll have great selection of Road, Mountain and BMX bikes on the floor due to the expanded showroom space. We've got loads up our sleeves so be sure to pop around often and grab a coffee with us.

I'll post shots of the new shop when we move in but here's what we're leaving behind. Farewell little shop in Tokai, Hello Bikehut in the Valley!