The mountain bike game in Park City is competitive, and for those involved, second chances don’t often come easy. It looked like Park City Bike Demos (PCBD) had reached the end of the line when they shuttered the business in August 2018, but the shop has found new life after being purchased and relaunched earlier this spring by Robert DeMartini, new CEO of USA Cycling and former CEO of New Balance.
PCBD started life as a mobile rental program with two converted cargo vans that would meet customers at trailheads or hotels in town, but quickly expanded to include a full-service bike shop on UT-248. “Around 90 percent of our customers wanted to be able to walk into a shop and have an experience that went beyond just rentals,” says PCBD Founder Andre Shoumatoff. “When one in eight of your customers ends up purchasing a bike, you’re really in the business of selling bikes more than just renting them.”
Park City Bike Demos aims to be a destination bike shop selling only the best and most trusted brands. You can find bikes from DeVinci, Ibis and Felt along with cutting edge suspension components from Utah’s own Trust Performance. Bike components aren’t inexpensive, so come test what’s right for you before putting down your hard-earned dough. 1500 Kearns Blvd, 435-659-3991, parkcitybikedemos.com
With the shop came a shift in priorities, including a focus on demo-ing and ultimately selling high-end bikes with rental credits. The try before you buy model was great for consumers—especially important when you’re about to plunk down thousands of dollars on a bicycle. The business, however, struggled to adapt.
“We made plenty of mistakes initially,” says Shoumatoff, who is still involved with PCBD as General Manager. “We were overly ambitious in some areas, which got expensive. We needed a space for such a large inventory of bikes that we ended up with a warehouse masquerading as a bike shop. But we maintained customer ratings that were consistently high, and that will always be our primary goal.”
DeMartini has helped to restructure the business, but will be relatively hands off in its day-to-day operations. His daughter-in-law Alyssa DeMartini is co-General Manager along with Shoumatoff, while Gina Magnuson—who has years of industry experience managing retail finance for Specialized and POC—will be in charge of the store’s finances. Today, you can walk into PCBD to test out their latest high-end products for around $10 less per day than at competing shops, and receive up to $600 in transferrable rental credits which can be applied to a bike purchase.
“The trucks were our origin, and they’re still prominently featured in our logo, but we’re trying to deliver an in-shop experience that’s unrivaled in town,” Shoumatoff says. There’s even a coffee bar in the shop, providing a space perfect for caffeinated discussion and the needed geeking out with other bike nerds.
