Saturday, November 23, 2013

Fusion Multisport Opens Its Doors

Let's welcome another member of the Los Alamos cycling community, Fusion Multisport. Across from CB Fox and Starbucks, they have a great location.

Co-owner Brad Nyenhuis said he is hoping to hear from local cyclists as to what sorts of stuff he should stock, especially with regard to road bike goodies. I guess he is more familiar with mountain/triathlon, and hopes to hear what works for us roadies in Bombtown. I thought he had a really nice selection of cold weather clothing and I picked up an Endura Baabaa merino wool base layer with a turtleneck top that I hope to use for both cycling and cross country skiing. (added Sunday morning--I used it to walk the hounds in the wind and snow this morning and it was certainly warm.)

Brad's email is on the photo of his business card, below.  Click it for a full size view.

Unlike our previous brick-and-mortar bike shops that were either out on the outskirts of town (Dome) or in hideaway places (Oz), Fusion is right up front and center where it is hard to miss. I imagine their rent check is hart to miss, too; previous brick and mortar shops could not compete against the huge retail outlets in Santa Fe, so I hope Fusion's strategy works where other's apparently did not. Plus, I hope this actually grows the market so Little Jimmy's, Dome, and others see an uptick.

Check out the shop. Personally, and with nothing against Jim, Scott, Mark, other folks who are laboring to make cycling succeed here in a tough market, I hope this time the storefront idea works.  (I think The Bike Doc left--anyone know for sure?)





4 comments:

Jon said...

I had a nice talk with them on Friday. Of particular interest: they're a QBP dealer, so they can get in just about anything. I had been looking at upgrading my lighting so gave them the business.

Complaining about poor retail in Los Alamos is something of a hobby. Let's put in the effort to help these folks succeed.

Khal said...

They have some nice stuff there. I picked up a merino wool base layer long sleeve top with a turtle neck. Should be great for XC skiiing and cold weather bicycling.

The owners are looking for input into what folks up here would like stocked. They had more mountainbike stuff than road on hand.

bikeolounger said...

Having worked in a couple of bike shops, one successful, the other not so much so, it's really tough to base one's inventory choices on what sounds popular. The shop that was less successful (closed in May 2012) failed in part because the owner spent a LOT of time and money trying to be the shop where HE would window-shop, rather than stocking what would sell.

A bike shop can't do well if all the cash flow is tied up in eye-candy inventory that won't sell.

Running a bike shop is tough duty. I wish them well.

Khal said...

Agree. Given the limits on (expensive) floor space in BombTown, I think one stocks what flies out the door and puts jingle in the cash register.