LOS GATOS, CA (BRAIN)—One of the biggest bike dealers on the West Coast is getting even bigger on December 12 when Mike’s Bikes opens the doors at their new store in Los Gatos, California, designed in partnership with Specialized Retail Services.
When planning this latest location, Mike’s decided that partnering with Specialized was the best solution to serve the Los Gatos cycling community, having been a Specialized dealer since 1991, when the company’s growth really started to accelerate.
“The experience we designed with Specialized encompasses exactly what the Los Gatos rider is looking for: It’s clean, open and professional. A lot of these riders are very particular about every aspect of both their shopping experience and their riding experience, and the Retail Services team keyed right into that in creating this design,” said Ken Martin, co-owner of Mike’s Bikes. “For our seventh store, we wanted to make a big splash, and this was the best way we could think of to do that.”
Mike’s Bikes was founded in 1963 and operated as a single location until 1995, when Ken Martin joined as general manager and the company acquired Sausalito Cyclery. In 1998, Martin and co-investor Mike Gabrys purchased the business and began expansion, and in 2005, general manager Matt Adams purchased a stake in the company. Martin and Adams co-manage the company today and have led Mike’s Bikes to its current position in the market.
“We had no doubt that Mike’s Bikes would be a perfect partner for us in opening a top end shop in Los Gatos. They are really in tune with the industry and thoroughly understand every market they serve, so when they approached Retail Services about this project, it was a no-brainer,” said Nichole Perrin, Specialized retail services manager. “The Retail Services team worked hard with Mike’s to come up with a truly unique, high-end feeling shop that translates easily to every type of cyclist. The vibe doesn’t rely on high end product to express that feeling, so much as smart layout, quality fixtures and a consistent aesthetic that is more of a quality shopping experience, which suits all types of riders.”
