Fast forward 3.5 years and....this summer I decided it was a good idea to start again and move the shop to a larger location. This was a daunting task as unlike the first reno I would have to try and keep one shop operating while renovating an other. This defines the term "burning the candle at both ends". On the very first day I sat in the new space and thought about what it was going to take. I knew from the beginning I would not have been able to do it by myself, and that's about all I knew. As I started the project an amazing thing happened...People started to show up asking what they could do. Now this may sound normal but this was not normal. First it was normal stuff like help lifting or moving some stuff then it changed. People started donating whole days to the effort, then donating material and equipment. Now I am not talking about one or two people there were many many days where there was an entire work party of volunteers giving their energy for the cause. I have never opened any other kind of store but I am willing to put money that if I was opening say a video store or a clothing store or a cell phone store the help would not have been there at all! The shop as it is today could not have been built without the help of the community and the generosity of my family and friends. This is something I will not forget. There was a quote some place in the middle of the chaos that stuck with me "There is a new church being raised in Brackendale." ( I believe this was my friend Eric). I think that about summed up what was happening. The people new what they wanted and they new to have it they needed to help create it.
The Republic was built by the people for the people and I am lucky to have the honor of being in charge of the show.
Earlier this week I was presented with two awards. REPUBLIC BICYCLES won BEST BIKE SHOP along with FRIENDLIEST STAFF. Both of these awards are awesome in their own way. The best bike shop one is amazing. There are two other RAD shops in town and to be voted the best of the three is amazing. What really amazes me is the friendliest staff award. This is not the friendliest bike shop staff we are talking about it is for the friendliest staff in town period. This is crazy! I do my best but man there are some friendly people in this town.....All I can think of is these same people I spoke about above might have had something to do with it either the people themselves or the feeling they brought with them.
Thanks for all the good vibes, I will do my best to honor the awards....or perhaps there has been some kind of mistake!?!?
Thanks again and happy trails,
Armand
Enjoy some photos of the process:
