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Bicycle World on University Parks Drive, which sponsored cycling-related events downtown and became a gathering place for cycling enthusiasts, suddenly closed this week. Employees told the Tribune-Herald they learned their fate when they arrived at work Tuesday morning.
Jerid Bridges, an office worker at Waco’s Bicycle World at Mary Avenue and University Parks Drive, acknowledged in an interview that he is one of about nine people currently out of work. . He said he moved to Texas from Louisville, Kentucky, about six years ago to work at Bicycle World in Grapevine, which was owned by Waco’s fellow Waco businessman Todd Bellinger. Bridges then worked at Bicycle World in Houston before moving to Waco.
“I really want to get paid, at least the final check,” Bridges said. “I got my layoff notice and after six years with no severance or anything. I just can’t see myself staying here in Waco. I’m originally from Kentucky and I’m a member of Bicycle World. I moved here just for that. I plan to stay in the cycling industry. That’s the path I’ll stick to.”
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He said his understanding is that Waco’s is the only Bicycle World store owned and still operated by Behringer. He said Behringer stores in Grapevine and Cypress have closed. He said he heard “the same kind of cries” when the Cypress store closed and the Waco store was the only option.
“Yesterday morning was really weird. It seemed like a normal day. I didn’t hear anything about shots fired,” Bridges said Wednesday. “The business plan for the past three months was to downsize stores and focus on service over sales. There was a focus and drive on redesigning the company. Then, overnight, everyone’s We swept the rug out from under us.”
He said at least eight store employees and one home office employee arrived at Bicycle World to learn the store would be closing. He said an employee is stationed there to lend bikes to customers when they’re done.
Bridges said the store is still full of inventory.
Behringer did not respond to messages seeking comment.
“They provided bicycle rentals to local residents and visitors and we will miss them,” said Carla Pendergraft, assistant director of tourism for the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau. “They also sponsored several bike-related events over the years.”
Shane Howard, owner of OTB Cyclery on Elm Street, said he was shocked to learn that Bicycle World in Waco had suddenly closed.
“Nobody expected that to happen,” he said. “For me personally, I own a bike shop, so the impact is minimal. It’s definitely going to leave a big hole in Waco’s bike community, but right now the shops in town aren’t equipped to fill that gap. I might buy a road bike to help with that.”
Howard said he temporarily closed his shop while he attended fire academy to pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter. It is scheduled to fully reopen on March 1st.
Bear Mountain cycling staff member Keeson Phillips said rumors of Bicycle World’s closure have been circulating among local cycling enthusiasts.
“I don’t really have a good explanation for that,” Phillips said. “There’s definitely a void in the market right now, and I don’t think that’s going to do anything but bring more people into our store. We carry very similar brands.”
Behringer is partnering with other downtown developments and retailers, including Union Hall Food Hall at 8th Street and Franklin Avenue and Waco Running Company on the same block in Franklin.
Both were open on Wednesdays.
The cycling industry has experienced a major shock in recent years as COVID-19 has restricted public gatherings and pushed the public to seek out outdoor distractions and recreation. Demand for bicycles has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and even major retailers and specialty stores have seen their inventory evaporate.
“Many manufacturers started mass production, and there was a huge surplus of inventory,” Bridges said. “At that point, manufacturers will realize that shops like Bicycle World, which were buying large amounts of inventory during the coronavirus outbreak, will have to offer discounts to compete with online retailers. “We realized that a lot of other shops were in exactly the same situation, but they didn’t do things the same way or treat their employees the same way.” did not.
“Bear Mountain is much smaller, but we value our employees and we didn’t shut down the company or ignore the employees who kept us going, and we still make it happen. The employees here. “I think they’ve done a great job. I think they’ve done a great job with what we have.” ”
Bicycle World also closed that same week, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop closed its stores in the area, including nearby locations in University Parks and Mary Avenue.
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