Hi there

I live in the UK - but have also lived in the US. One thing that surprises me is that the culture of the LBS is still alive & well in the US - but much less so in the UK. My husband & I started a bike business from home about 3 years ago (The Bike Whisperer - fitting, repairing, advising, wheel building etc), and have found people really appreciate a trusting relationship with an LBS. I think the education thing is really true - whilst there are some people who will never believe that an $800 bike is really worth it vs a $200 bike, we have found that by honestly chatting to them we can often persuade them to buy a better quality bike.

I think a recession is actually a really good time to build up loyalty - we have seen plenty of people who have bought cheap on the internet & found it a false economy. I am sure the slow build business you have with plenty of word of mouth recommendation and satisfied customers will not only be much more rewarding for you, but will make really good long term business sense too. Best of luck!