Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Blum.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Ben and I met when he was hired as a mechanic at a shop I was managing. We worked together until that shop closed unexpectedly about 4 years ago. We went our separate ways in the industry, always staying in touch and talking about the future.
After deciding to start working on opening our own bike shop we ran into the landlord of the bike shop that had closed. He informed us of a vacancy in his building and how he would love to have a bike shop there again. We weren’t prepared at that time to open a shop, but we set a goal to see if we could accomplish it on such short notice. With a lot of help from family and friends, we were able to open three months later. After a long season of hard work, we are now preparing to build on that success and keep it going into our second season.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was definitely a struggle to get the shop up and running in a short amount of time. Thankfully we had a lot of assistance from the neighborhood chamber of commerce and economic development to help navigate some of the processes of getting permits and such. Also having worked previously at a recently opened shop I had some insight as to some of the challenges we would face. The biggest struggle was dealing with the long hours.
Tailwind Cycles – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a small service focused bicycle shop. Both Ben and I have an extensive background in professional bicycle repair. Also, Ben has worked for a women’s professional race team at races all over the world. In addition to our storefront, we also have a van that we use for mobile repairs. Our van has everything that we would need for most tune-ups to be completed on-site… We have an extensive selection of repair parts so that the customer can get back on their bike as soon as possible.
In addition to service, we also have a modest collection of new bicycles at a wide variety of price points, ranging from $330 – $2600. Being owner/operators allows us to have a very personal connection with all our costumers allowing us to provide a level of service that you don’t always get at other shops
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me would be having a shop that customers feel super comfortable in and felt that we offer great service at fair prices.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3140 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
- Website: www.tailwindchicago.com
- Phone: 773-654-3419
- Email: info@tailwindchicago.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tailwindcycles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tailwindcycles
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tailwindchicago
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