Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Holt.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kristie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The concept for Local Hub was hatched in 2014. I was living in New York City at the time and had quite the full job I had for 9 years. Feeling a little lost, I took a 6 week trip to Southeast Asia and Europe to figure out the next step in my career. While traveling coast to coast through Ireland, my friend who had flown from Dallas to travel with me brought up the idea of opening a bike shop. We talked about it for a few minutes then went back to drinking our Guinness.
When I got back to New York, my friend messaged me about the shop to see if I would be interested in partnering with him. I didn’t hesitate and we went to work on writing the business plan and setting a timeline for getting open. We initially looked at another space and were about to sign a lease when we saw a building in Deep Ellum. It had everything we wanted: foot traffic, bike traffic, a nearby bike path, and most importantly it was next to a brewery that was about to open. We went with our instinct and signed the lease in Deep Ellum. After 4 months of construction, we opened our doors on December 21st, 2015. It’s funny to look back at the pictures from when we opened. We only had about 10 bikes and nothing on the walls. So much has changed in those 2 years.
We now carry 4 brands of bikes, Felt, Kona, Brooklyn Bicycle, and Tribe and have a day to day inventory of at least 60 bikes. Since we opened, we’ve sold 875 bikes and serviced over 2,000. Local Hub isn’t just about bikes. We spend a lot of time advocating for better bike infrastructure and working on projects that make Dallas a better place to live. One of my favorite projects last year was facilitating the building of a book bike for the Downtown Dallas Public Library. It’s a pedal powered literacy machine that brings books to people that normally wouldn’t have a chance to get to the library.
Has it been a smooth road?
I didn’t open a bike shop because I knew it would be easy. I opened it because I wanted to make Dallas a better city. Change isn’t always easy, especially in a city that is car-dependent. It takes a lot of hard work, hard conversations, and persistence to make changes. I work a lot and sacrifice many weekends that I could be spending with friends and family. It’s a good thing most of them ride bikes or I would never see them. If I can leave the shop everyday knowing I made a positive difference in 1 person’s life, that is a win. The smiles on my customer’s faces are what keep me going.
Local Hub is now a single owner business. I bought my business partner out last year. We no longer shared the same vision and it was time for us to part ways. While it was stressful and heartbreaking, it was the best thing for both of us. Local Hub has a long future and I have a lot of plans for making it even more successful.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Local Hub Bicycle Company – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Local Hub Bicycle Company is a community-centric bike shop that sells, services, and rents bikes. We focus on the rider that’s riding for transportation and fitness. Our best selling styles are single speeds, hybrids, gravel, and Dutch style bikes. We upgraded our rental bikes this year to Felt Verza Speed 40’s. They are great bikes for riding around Dallas or going out to White Rock Lake on the Santa Fe Trail.
It’s a bike you can spend a lot of time on because it’s comfortable and fast. Local Hub has the most amazing staff. Everyone goes above and beyond to make sure our customers are happy and love riding their bikes. There are 2 full-time mechanics on staff with a combined 15 years of experience. Our customers challenge them on a daily basis and it’s amazing to see they accomplish in the service department. Before we say no, we try to figure out a way to make it happen. We love our community and give back by offering free bike maintenance classes, group rides, and advocating for better bike infrastructure.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
One of my favorite things about Dallas is that I can ride my bike all year! It’s a great city that you can spend most of the year outside. The people in Dallas are what make it a special place and why I opened a business here.
Dallas still has a long way to go to make it bike friendly. Hopefully, the city council will see how bike share is changing mobility in Dallas and build more bike infrastructure.
Pricing:
- Bikes start at $375
- Tune-ups start at $65
- Bike rentals are $12/hour and $40/day. Includes a lock, helmet, handlebar bag, and flat repair kit.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2633 Main Street Suite 130
Dallas, TX 75226 - Website: www.localhubbc.com
- Phone: 214-484-1019
- Email: info@localhubbc.com
- Instagram: @localhubbc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LocalHubBicycleCompany
- Twitter: @localhubbicycle
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/local-hub-bicycle-company-dallas
Image Credit:
Chuck Cage
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