Three months after opening in downtown Bel Air, Ed Sheet already has his eye on an expansion.
Sheet, the owner of
Chesapeake Cycle & Sport, hopes to move into a 2,500-square-foot store within two years. His current store in Bel Air is 1,100 square feet.
It's the second bike store for Sheet, who opened his Havre de Grace location in 2008. The expansion to Bel Air was intended to make it more convenient for customers who live in Fallston or Forest Hill who don't want to make the trek to Havre de Grace.
The two stores will pull in $1 million in sales this year, he says.
Sheet chose the spot at 116 S. Main Street because it is close to another sports shop, Charm City Run. Owners of the two shops can rely on one another's mailing lists and host joint promotional events. He's also excited about the Main Street revitalization efforts.
The inventory focuses mainly on road bikes and triathlon bikes, with 30 to 40 bikes in stock at any one time. After he moves into a bigger store, Sheet hopes to house more than 200 bikes, including hybrid, cruiser and kids' cycles, like his Havre de Grace. He also hopes to house more accessories, apparel, and a larger service department.
"Bike service is important to the reputation and longevity of the store," Sheet says.
The business owners says he preferred to open in the 208-year-old historic building over a strip mall because the rent is about one-third the price and the property includes historic details like wood floors and a tin ceiling.
Because he also owns a property management company, Sheet's spent just $2,500 to rehab the space.
Source: Ed Sheet, Chesapeake Cycle & Sport
Writer: Julekha Dash