FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

Name shop: Volt BMX
Location: London, England
Years in business: 9
Employees: Just me and some friends help sometimes!

Did you ever go to school to learn how to run a (BMX) business or did you just 'send it'?
Volt BMX: No, I worked in an other shop for many years, I think if anyone is wise enough to go to business school they wouldn't be doing BMX related business!

Were your BMX industry contacts already made before you started your shop, or did you meet more people along the way?
Volt BMX: Already had most contacts, met some along the way.

Who are some of the people that helped out in the beginning, setting up the BMX shop?
Volt BMX: Many people helped out set up, and it was quite an epic set up. The place was empty for 17 years before we moved in, it was a mess. We had a new roof put on and the whole interior was built from scratch. Jimmy Rushmore and Glenn Robson pretty much built the wood stuff, shelves

Name shop: Signature BMX
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Years in business: 13 years on January
Employees: 2, Mikko Suni full-time, Antti Huotari part-time.

Did you ever go to school to learn how to run a (BMX) business or did  you just 'send it'?
Signature BMX: We just sent it and still are sending it. We first thought of having a clothing brand and started selling some bmx bike parts to cover the cost of clothing side. Sales started to pick up before we even had much of a clothing available. Just some shirts under the name of Signature. That’s pretty much what ever happened on that side. We focused on selling bike stuff. It was just a mail order/webshop at first. We pretty much ran it from our home. Our real warehouse/shop/distro came to life after a couple of years. So I guess we’re still learning day by day something new.

Were your BMX industry contacts already made before you started your shop, or did you meet more people along the way?
Signature BMX: I knew Niels Thanild and Joe Rich and a few others before the business came along. I went to Interbike the next year as we started and made a lot of contacts there.

Name shop: Planet Bicycle
Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl.
Employees: Just me and my partner Ed for now.

Did you ever go to school to learn how to run a (BMX) business or did you just 'send it'?
Planet Bicycle: No specific schooling. Over the past 30 years I’ve just worked in a few shops with different minds running them. I’ve taken the stuff that fit me from each and went with it.

Were your BMX industry contacts already made before you started your shop, or did you meet more people along the way?
Planet Bicycle: Over the years my contacts list has grown exponentially.

Who are some of the people that helped out in the beginning, setting up the BMX shop?

Name shop: kunstform BMX Shop
Location: Stuttgart (Germany)
Years in business: 15 years (since 2003)
Employees: 11

Is running a BMX shop something you've always wanted to do?
kunstform BMX Shop: Actually No! It just happend. I study computer science at the university and the founder Sebastion Pospischil always asked me if I can change some buttons or functions in the web shop. From time to time it got more and more, so I started there my full time job.

What (BMX) shops did you like before you started your own?
kunstform BMX Shop: FlairBMX Shop in Berlin, Busy P in Cologne

Did you do some serious research before you opened up your shop at your location or did you just go for it?

Name shop: Circuit BMX Shop
Location: Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Years in business: 12
Employees: Vic Bettencourt/Cara Bettencourt/Chris Childs

Did you ever go to school to learn how to run a (BMX) business or did you just 'send it'?
Circuit BMX Shop: I’ve spent my life dedicated to BMX and have been around it for 32 years now. I have no business training. Just a passion for BMX and the family it provides.

Were your BMX industry contacts already made before you started your shop, or did you meet more people along the way?
Circuit BMX Shop: Before (and after) I opened Circuit I had done my fair amount of traveling. I had many industry connections due to travel. After I opened the shop there were many more connections as you would expect.

Name shop: Powers Bike Shop
Location: Downtown Richmond VA
Years in business: 14 years.. since 2004
Employees:  2 full time, and bunch dudes that are down to help whenever

Did you ever go to school to learn how to run a BMX business or did you just 'send it'?
Powers Bike Shop:  Is there a school for that? hahaha. I just sent it, like I do everything in my life!

Were your BMX industry contacts already made before you started your shop, or did you meet more people along the way? 
Powers Bike Shop: I have definitely met way more on the way, but I worked at other bike shops prior and met a few.

Name shop: The900shop
Location: Eksel, Belgium
Years in business: 10 years
Employees: 1 fulltime and 2 students

What was the reason for you to start a BMX shop?
The900shop: Because it is my biggest passion.

How did your first year turn out?
The900shop: We were selling all kinds of bikes and Bmx freestyle turned out very good.

How big was your local scene in the beginning, and how big is it now?

Name shop: The Boarding House
Location: Exeter, Devon, U.K.
Years in business: 34
Employees: Me and assorted part-timers

What was the reason for you to start a BMX shop?
The Boarding House: The shop had been here since 1984 (called BMX Superstore), in 1997 I had the opportunity to take over from the previous owner. Having mainly worked in the skate-surf industry before, it was an easy transition to run a shop, I had experience working in skateshops before, so, just right place, right time, to carry on working in something I loved.

The Source are establishing a new venture in the US so they are looking for a leader who has a track record of managing and motivating people and working in and around BMX. The Source USA Warehouse Manager. Something for you?

-Job Title: Warehouse Manager
-Hours: Full Time, Monday to Friday
-Location: Our warehouse in Louisville, KY 40210, USA
-Salary: Competitive; based on experience
-Overall Objective: To lead a small warehouse team to assist in the process of getting goods in and despatching them to customers quickly.

Role Overview

You will be an important part of a small successful team focusing on being the best and most famous BMX retailer in the World. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading, managing and developing a small team based in our new fulfilment warehouse in Louisville, KY.

Name of your shop: Trainbmx
Location: 38170 Klein Vahlberg/ Germany
Years in business: Since 2014
Employees: None

What was the reason for you to start a BMX shop?
Trainbmx: While on my old 30 years old profession as a mechanic / master, I had no more desire and then spontaneously on 22.05.14 I founded my shop. Since I have been arranging myself in the BMX for decades, it was not difficult for me.