San Diego retailer consolidates locations

SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN) Thursday June 28 2012 9:36 AM MT—Justin Beope is consolidating Pista Palace and Mucho Mountain Bikes, his two San Diego bike shops, into one location. The new, enlarged shop will retain the Pista Palace name and address, 1515 30th Street in San Diego.

Beope opened Mucho Mountain Bikes last summer, but said he felt restricted by the lack of space. “I really wanted to do more 29er stuff, but my landlord was taking forever to give me more space,” said Beope. “Since it was still early days I just decided, ‘Let’s do this now before we get settled in.’ ”

Pista Palace, open four years now, will expand to 3,000 square feet and allow Beope to offer more models and inventory. Beope is sticking with five brands, naming Salsa as his big seller.

With more room on his hands, he plans to add an in-store café. Beope envisions a coffee shop “right in the middle, so that the people drinking coffee are surrounded by bike inventory.”

Beope is mulling new projects, such as opening a Pista Palace in Guadalajara, Mexico, but is focusing most of his attention on the San Diego consolidation. “My goal is to have this whole thing up and running right before Interbike,” said Beope. “I assume there’ll be some hold-ups along the way, but I’m really excited.”

—Marisa Shimano