Janosch: Yes of course. There's a million bmx-ers here who need stuff and it was important for the scene. How many riders live in the Cologne area?
Janosch: Ah there must be at least a million, and they all somehow end up in the back room of the shop watching free videos.
Do people come in to hang out or do you have shopping people only?
Janosch: I sometimes feel like a social worker/travel agent or sightseeing tour guide.
When is a good time for people to come over and have a drink in the back? Janosch: Social workers are not allowed to drink in front of the kids. So only after 6pm, before that we got to be happy with just a couple of smokes.
What parts do you sell a lot?
Janosch: Completes, frames and tubes...ah and shoes. errrr chains?
It's not a wethepeople-only store, is it? Janosch: It's definitely not only a wethepeople store, but we obviously have the full range of wethepeople stuff there. We try to stock parts and brands that riders find it hard to get elsewhere, unique brands and specialist product that some shops won't have on stock, we do. It's not always easy to get some products in Germany.
How many days a week do you work at the store?
Janosch: 5 or 6, the break point between the five or six depends heavily on whether I'm too hammered on the Friday to make it Saturday. The Spiess or Jan got to pick up the pieces.
Who helps out? Janosch: Jan Heinen, Michael Trzpis(Spiess), Christophe Nöckel and sometimes Harry, Klaus, Rob and Sandra. We sometimes have some work experience dudes in as well.
Are you still on crutches?
Janosch: Nope........ ha but I'm working on that.
Do non-BMX riders come in to shop for shoes and clothing?
Janosch: All the bloody time, damn foreigners (rob).
Do you organize activities to promote the shop?
Janosch: We try and support everything that's going on locally, the few contests that happen, then jams that are happening around the area (things like Garage Punx). Then we're pretty active on getting exhibitions going on in there.... we had the exhibition that Ed Docherty organised there and then came the All City Style trains throw up .... and at the moment we've got a few select photos up there till the next one. Also everyone who has a Peoples Store tattoo gets discount.
Favorite customer: The one's buying Favorite brand: wethepeople, metal and S&M
Favorite part: Metal seat
Favorite drink: Herborner bier
Favorite magazine: Hustler (behind the counter), But Dig and Freedombmx a close second
Favorite video: Please Kill Me
Favorite website: Fatbmx....and another bmx web site with only Brrrr Brrrrr for text.
Cool Janosch! thanks for your time.
Janosch: Yeah thanks for waiting and asking me everyday if I've answered it or not.
Peoples
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.