After a Decade, Riding a Bike Does Change!

Seal Beach, Calif. (March 18th, 2009) – Change does come to traditions, and with some things persistence is the key to success.  Dave Dunton, owner of Main Street Cyclery (MSC) on Main Street in Seal Beach knows this better than most.  He opened the doors on Father’s Day 1997 and the shop was the culmination of his MBA Capstone thesis project.  By coincidence Seal Beach Cycles was up for grabs and Dave did the smart thing – he grabbed it. The community rallied around MSC and really gave him a chance to be a great bike shop even against the competition of chain and distribution stores.

While the bike industry was changing from the old standards like Schwinn, Dave focused on two core concepts: knowledge and service.  Joined by veteran cyclist and pro mechanic Lee Myers in 2003, MSC has created a reputation for finding the right ”fit” of  people to the bicycles that suit their style. Lee has since passed, but his legacy of quality repair work and attention to detail continues.

Not just a sales shop, MSC provides full service and repairs.  Currently carrying PHAT, Fuji, Redline and Torker, MSC has something for everyone, but at the same time focuses on those manufacturers with a proven history of reliability and quality.  Dave isn’t afraid to buck a few customs along the way – age of employees being one of them.  He proudly employs Julio Castillio, a 23 year old junior mechanic who not only loves cycling, but is the antithesis of today’s “couch potato kid” that every parent kind of wishes their child wasn’t.

After 10 years of being “the” bike shop in Seal Beach, the lease for 135 Main was not renewed and the Cyclery was in jeopardy.  Dave, undaunted, discovered a new space with the help of many local leaders including Jim Klissanan of Baytown Realty – 317 Main Street.  The space offers differentiated areas: a showroom, a repair center and a drop off / pick up area.  These segments will not only improve the shop flow, but will allow customers an ease of entry and exit which should greatly enhance their experience.  Excited by the prospect of larger space – Dave has invested in significant leasehold improvements including an interior redesign and an updating of the paint and signage in the front of the store.

Dave felt “The move to 317 was just what we needed, when we needed it.  It was time to expand and enhance our offerings.  The 317 Main street location had all we were looking for, before we knew we needed it.”  He continued, “The whole experience of owning the shop has been like that, one positive opportunity presenting itself as something potentially damaging occurred.”  The location, being two blocks closer to Pacific Coast Highway will likely attract more of the groups of riders while still being accessible to the foot traffic on Main Street.

Now closing in on two years at the 317 Main Street location, the shop is doing better than ever. As gas prices rocketed to nearly $5 per gallon in the Summer of 2008 - MSC was there providing quality repairs at a resonable price and encouraging more "green" living. Now as many are affected by the recession, we have run discounts and sales to encourage riding. Perhaps both symbolically and powerfully, MSC has decided NOT to pass on the 1% sales tax increase to customers, but instead, take the hit on our bottom line. We believe in our customers and "knowledge & service" - so what cost $20 on March 31st will still cost $20 to the customer on April 1st. Regardless – Dave and everyone else at MSC all want you to stop in and see them!

For more information about the our shop, contact Main Street Cyclery at (562) 430-3903 or bikeshoponmain@gmail.com