Quote Originally Posted by profĂ*vĂ©lo
This reinforces my secret desire to open a bike shop for women. My husband's response was that bike shop owners don't make any money; I replied that I wouldn't be doing it for the money. I just want to help more women get out there and ride, on any kind of bike. I would hire women mechanics so that women customers would never be intimidated. I would have a book section, too--I've never seen one in a bike shop--books on training, riding, nutrition, etc.
Would you go out of your way to get to a LBS for women?
Yep I would - I was looking thru some Australian Bike shop info on the internet the other night (so I know whats around when we eventually go home) and there was a shop in Sydney that had a big blurb about how half of the shop is now set up for women. With lots of wsd bikes and all the cycling gear and accessories for women. They had even done a makeover on that part of the shop because he believed women feel better in nicer surroundings. Anyway this guy seems to have gotten the right idea about women cycling being an untapped area of retail. He said he had heaps of women coming in off the street saying I havent cycled in years but maybe I will give it a whirl and he believes its because the environment he offers is non threatning for new women cyclists. He even sort out qualified women to staff his new area for the customers that prefer to deal with women. Hooray for him.