Kenton Cycle Repair is for sale.
In business for twelve years, Kenton Cycle Repair has built a nice presence in North Portland.
But the owner is ready to sell the business, or close it down if he can’t find a buyer.
The only challenge I see is that Portland’s bicycle scene hasn’t recovered from the lockdown, and anyone wanting to own a bike shop in 2024-25 had better have a deep trust fund, a solid business plan and patience.
With a new, tariff-happy administration coming aboard in two months, the costs of taking on a bicycle business, even a successful one, will only go up. And with more wholesalers willing to deal consumer-direct now, the profit margins are getting so thin as to be virtually unsustainable. Last time I stopped by KCR, there were two mechanics working at benches alongside a rich, the owner, so factor in employee wages and potentially some health benefits as well.
I’m not sure who could afford to take on a project like this in the winter, and in this economic climate. A dozen Portland area bike shops have closed their doors since the beginning of the pandemic, and I won’t be surprised to see more closures in the coming year, especially if President Drumpf gets his way on tariffs and sends bicycle and component prices sky-high.
Still, maybe there’s someone out there who’s always dreamed of owning a bike shop, and who has the money and the stamina to make it work.
If Rich can’t find a buyer in the near future, he will close down the shop and sell off everything inside it.
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