Running a BMX Shop during the pandemic: GRIND BMX (GBR)

Dec 25, 2020

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 1919 times

Shop name: GRIND BMX
Location: SWANLEY, KENT, UK
Years in business: OVER 10 YEARS
Best year yet: LOOKS LIKE 2020 IS GOING TO BE OUR BEST YEAR
Worst year yet: PROBABLY ABOUT 5-6 YEARS AGO

2020 has been, well, different. When did Covid-19 turn up and start influencing your business?
Trev Grind: THE FIRST LOCKDOWN IN MARCH WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT. IT WAS THE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME WHICH WAS THE MAIN CONCERN

Did you take any action from the start or were you thinking this would be over in a few weeks?
Trev Grind: WE BRACED OURSELVES FOR INCREASED MAIL ORDER ITEMS FOR SMALLER STUFF LIKE SEATS, GRIPS, TYRES ETC. WE ORDERED A LOT OF STUFF WE THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD BUY ONLINE AND FORTUNATELY FOR US THAT WORKED OUT QUITE WELL.

Now, being in this situation for many months, how did you manage to keep your business rolling?
Trev Grind: LUCKILY BEING A BIKE SHOP, WE WERE EXEMPT FROM HAVING TO CLOSE. TO START WITH, WE JUST DONE MAIL ORDER ITEMS AND OPENED FOR AN HOUR OR SO WHILST PACKING ORDERS, THEN SLOWLY STARTED DOING LONGER HOURS AS THE CUSTOMERS STARTED COMING IN, HAVING NOWHERE ELSE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY.

The supply chain has also suffered. Has it been a challenge getting the bikes/product in stock that you needed for your customers?
Trev Grind: GETTING BIKES PARTS IN HAS BEEN A REAL STRUGGLE THIS YEAR. GETTING ACTUAL BIKES IN WAS EVEN HARDER. LUCKILY WE HAD BEEN QUITE HEAVILY STOCKED UP WITH A LOT OF PARTS. THE BIG DEMAND OF BIKES ACTUALLY HELPED US SELL QUITE A LOT OF BIKES THAT HAD BEEN SITTING HERE FOR A WHILE AS WELL.

Have you been able to keep your shop open all this time?
Trev Grind: TO START WITH WE DIDN'T REALLY OPEN TOO MUCH AS WE THOUGHT IF NO ONE WAS ALLOWED OUT, WE WOULDN'T GET ANY CUSTOMERS AND WOULD JUST BE SITTING HERE ALL DAY WAITING. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, WE SAW MORE AND MORE PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT FOR THEIR "EXERCISE", AND THEREFORE MORE PEOPLE WERE WANTING TO EITHER BUY A NEW BIKE OR GET THIER EXISTING BIKES KITTED OUT WITH NEW PARTS.

If so, what are measures you had to take to keep the door open?
Trev Grind: JUST BASICALLY KEEPING OUR DISTANCE FROM CUSTOMERS WHEN IN THE SHOP. LEAVING DELIVERY BOXES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOP TO FORM A SORT OF DISTANCE BARRIER (ALSO AN EXCUSE TO NOT PUT EVERYTHING AWAY AS THEY CAME IN)

Have internet sales/mail-order sales made up for loss of shop sales?
Trev Grind: INTERNET SALES PICKED UP SLIGHTLY AT THE START OF THE FIRST LOCKDOWN AND STAYED FAIRLY STEADY ALL YEAR WHICH HAS BEEN GOOD.

During the pandemic has it been difficult to organize local events to support the local scene and get the customers in the shop?
Trev Grind: UNFORTUNATELY MOST EVENTS THIS YEAR GOT CANCELLED, BUT LUCKILY THE ANNUAL STANSTED JAM TOOK PLACE INBETWEEN VARIOUS RESTRICTIONS AND THAT'S ONE EVENT THAT WE SUPPORT EVERY YEAR, SO IT WAS NICE TO GET TO THAT AND IT HAPPENED TO BE A NICE WARM DAY IN SEPTEMBER, SO WAS LUCKY THAT TOOK PLACE.

What mouth masks do you sell?
Trev Grind: WE DID A LIMITED RUN OF OUR OWN GRIND BMX MASKS. WE ALSO GOT SOME HOFFMAN MASKS IN FROM THE STATES. THANKS MAT. ALTHOUGH VARIOUS OTHER BRANDS WERE AVAILABLE, WE FOUND THAT WE HAD ENOUGH TO COVER THE SMALLISH DEMAND THAT WE HAD FOR THEM

When do you believe this mess will be over?
Trev Grind: IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY. I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND I'M AN EXPERT BECAUSE I'VE READ A COUPLE OF ARTICLES ON FACEBOOK. THERE'S PLENTY OF SCIENTISTS THAT ARE PAID TO DEAL WITH THIS. I'LL LEAVE IT IN THEIR CAPABLE HANDS. THE VACCINE IS NOW OUT, BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS NEW STRAIN OF VIRUS, SO THIS COULD GO IN ANY DIRECTION. I GUESS WE'VE JUST GOTTA SIT TIGHT AND TRY AND RIDE THIS THING OUT.

Thanks to?
Trev Grind: CARLO/JON/NEW AT IMG, DANNY/SAM AT MAFIA, STU/COLIN AT SEVENTIES, JOSH/ADAM AT 4DOWN, GRANT/DREW AT BSD, MAT HOFFMAN, AARON AT ISON AND ROB AT MOORE LARGE.

Website: WWW.GRINDBMX.CO.UK