Kentville Bike Shop - SOLD

Feb 11, 2004

Dear Friends,

Ok. You all know that I've had the bike shop in limbo land over the last five months waiting on it's purchase by staff from last year.

Well... it's finally gone through. As of yesterday afternnoon Jamie Hunter and Doug MacInnis are now the owners of Kentville Bike Shop. These guys are honest, friendly and genuinely good fellows.

It has been a pleasure to have met them and I will continue to be an active supporter of the shop and its activities. They have ideas and initiatives to take the shop to the next level, something for which I was starting to lag in. Even before the official purchase had taken place, these two had been investing their own cash in changing the shop around, getting ready to present a new face to the public.

Over the last five years I've grown alot from entering into this venture. I appreciate all of your support. From the times that I was bobbing around like a freak who just won the lottery, listening to your friendly laughter at me, to the times when I dropped all my worries on you and you supported me with your understanding and words of hope and encouragement. The world of retail is certainly a rollercaoster ride and after these last few years, I certainly have a good appreciation of how hard it is to get and keep support for your business. I guess I never realized how really fragile a local economy can be when you throw things like mail order, big box stores and shopping malls into the fray.

It is a full time challenge to offer an alternative to this type of shopping. I wish I could say that I'm leaving the business with a pocket full of cash, but I'm not. On the other hand, I'm not in the hole over the enterprise either, so all in all, I can't say that it was a bad venture. I'm sure that with drive and a little inguenuity, the boys will make a good showing of themselves and that the shop can continue to grow and serve the community.

To have a seasonal business in a small town is a risky endeavor but certainly a fun one. I have met, hung out and shared experiences with people of all ages in this community that I might not have otherwise met. I have been treated with respect for my endeavors on behalf of the cycling and local business community and forgive me for saying this, but I've quite enjoyed it. (A little ego trippen'!) I've been able to put smiles on peoples faces and have shared in their lives and those of their families. Not every job gives you this opportunity. In short, I'm leaving the business feeling quite enriched from the whole experience. I've loved and learned.

As you all know, I'm not really one for sitting still. Even after freeing myself from commitmnets to the shop and it's pile of paperwork, I'm still the local Canada Post contracter, have a local pressure spraying business, am an active Kinsmen member, a not very active Lions member, chairman of the Kings County Trails Society, co-chairman of the local Trans Canada Trail Committee, husband, cottager, and well known swell guy!!!! ( lol ) As I've told some of you, I'm toying seriously with the idea of joining the local reserve regiment at Camp Aldershot.

I've always had an interest in the military, though never really saw myself as a career guy. Quite frankly, the thought of taking off for a couple weeks to aid fellow Canadians after natural disasters and such sounds pretty cool. Oh hell, shooting machine guns on Thursday nights doesn't seem too bad either. The plan is to keep cool for a year and deal with what is presently on my plate and then make a command decision on getting into this or any other venture then. We'll see...

Please support the new owners of the shop as if it was still me working there. They won't treat you wrong.

Thanks for friendships,

Ken

Posted by nimzie at February 16, 2004 10:24 AM

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