MIAMI (BRAIN) — Several bike suppliers and retailers in Florida say they plan to reopen this week following the storms this weekend, although many retailers and bike industry folks were unreachable Monday due to power and telephone outages.
Distributor J&B Imports was closed Monday and co-CEO Ben Joannou Jr. said some employees were unable to leave their neighborhoods. He said J&B hopes to open Tuesday.
"No major damage but we don't have electricity, phones or internet," Joannou said in an email to BRAIN.
Tampa-based American Classic was filling online orders during the storm, according to the company's Facebook page. The company said it expects to have phone service again by noon Wednesday. "We were lucky, safe and no property damage. And ... we have power!" American Classic's Ellen Kast told BRAIN in an email Monday.
Orlando-based Catrike was closed Monday and hoped to reopen Tuesday.
Island Bike Shop, on Marco Island off the coast of Naples, Florida, came through largely unscathed, according to the shop's Facebook page. "See you when the power comes back or maybe earlier!" the store wrote Monday afternoon.
