Mr. Bike and Ski Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
After 1 year, Adam and Heidi Haeusler are excitingly celebrating their first anniversary of owning Mr. Bike and Ski. During the year Mr. Bike and Ski has launched a new website, added stand up paddle boards to their product offerings and implemented new technology to improve customer service requests.
Adam worked at the shop under previous ownership and is a Bark River native.
Adam said, “It has been amazing to return home and see so many familiar faces. We have definitely felt the support from the community over the past year. It’s been a great ride.”
Looking ahead to 2022, Mr. Bike and Ski has plans to add an e-commerce component to their new website, add fat, e-bikes and Wahoo Fitness to the product line and complete some light remodeling to improve overall function and design of their historic downtown location.
Although Mr. Bike and Ski has been established for 35 years, taking over and continuing to build the business has not been without difficulty, especially during these unprecedented times.
Adam explained, “Our showroom floor was once packed with nearly 200 bicycles with a few hundred more in storage. We had hopes to start a robust rental bike program but we were unable to obtain a rental fleet. Now, the repair area is packed with bikes, waiting for back-ordered parts to arrive. But we are not the only ones facing this problem, it’s industry wide. Bike sales significantly increased the previous year across the board. People were—and still are—looking for alternate ways for transportation, as well as finding new ways to get outside and get exercise. Also, gyms are either still closed down or opened at partial capacity across the country. Our local shop has been feeling the pressure to keep up with demand. The good news is our shop has fitness equipment and winter products still consistently coming in. As we transition seasons, I feel good about being able to supply our community for their winter recreation needs.”
To commemorate their first year, owners, Adam and Heidi, decided to train for a backcountry mountain bike race and a full marathon. Adam will be participating in the Trans-Cascadia backcountry mountain bike race in the Pacific Northwest mid September. It includes 4 days of racing and a curated backcountry experience of primitive single-track. Heidi will be competing in the Marquette Marathon September 4th, running 26.2 miles.
Heidi shared, “We knew our first year of owning the business was going to come with many challenges and we personally wanted to do something that would keep our minds and bodies strong and ultimately help contribute to our professional success. Our shop’s mission is to connect folks and foster a passion for the outdoors, no matter how our customers like to recreate. We believe we are all better humans when we take the time to be outside. Having these races to focus on has been a light at the end of a tunnel. I can’t think of a better way to round out our first year of owning this amazing local business.”
