CRANBURY, NJ (BRAIN)—When Pete and Stephanie Garnich started looking to expand Knapp’s Cyclery beyond their Lawrenceville, New Jersey shop, they didn’t have to look too far down the road to Cranbury before they knew they had the perfect spot.
“It's a prime location with neighboring businesses that have been around for decades and there are many road rides that originate right behind the building, mostly Princeton Freewheeler rides,” said Pete, who can’t wait to get involved with events in the shop’s new community.
“We want to celebrate our Knapp’s heritage by sharing it with even more riders, and by supporting Cranbury’s great cycling community with local group rides, helping kids ride their bikes to school, and helping shape this cycling community in general,” he added.
The October 1st grand opening of the new location, a 1325 square foot Specialized Elite Shop, is just the latest in a long history of serving Central New Jersey cyclists that started 65 years ago.
The new shop is located just 13 miles from Knapps Lawrenceville Concept Store, but draws a completely unique clientele, which allows the two shops to share warehousing and a business plan that aligns well with the Specialized Concept/Elite shop ideal.
“Knapps really understands what it means to strive to be the best, and does this tirelessly in their market,” said Dan Sluzas, Specialized sales rep for New Jersey.
“Generally, they say yes to riders before they ask," he added. "There’s a story of a woman who was training for a triathlon, and was out of town on business. When she realized her bike would need work before the event, Knapps picked the bike up from her house, did a complete overhaul, and had it back in her trainer before she got home. That’s the type of excellence they offer.”
Opening a bike shop in a building that used to be a bank, there’s one huge obstacle to overcome—the vault—which the Specialized Retail Services team saw as a unique challenge.
“With thoughtful design and careful engineering, the former vault was converted into a display area for shoes, helmets, and apparel. The vault’s structural soffit remains in place and helps to define the display area, setting it apart from the adjacent bike displays. It looks great,” said project manager Jennifer Gibbons.
Since the doors opened on July 23, the Cranbury store has been serving local riders, and will be celebrating the Grand Opening of their new space during the town’s “Cranbury Day” celebration on October 1.
