CLEVELAND — As cars zip past 3800 Lorain Ave. in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, bicycles have been the bread and butter for Fridrich Bicycle.
“We don't make a big deal out of it,” said owner Charles “Chuck” Fridrich. “But in fact, it is a big deal.”
Fridrich is a third-generation business owner. His grandfather started the company in 1883 as a coal and feed store across the street from its current location. At the turn of the century, it became a bike store. Fridrich’s father ran the business for many decades.
"I kind of took over the store force-feeding style back in the early 90s when my dad passed away,” Fridrich said.
I visited the shop Wednesday afternoon; one of two days it’s closed. However, bicycle mechanics Patrick Vorreiter and John Dido were busy fixing bicycles.
"This is a labor of love. It’s really exciting," Dido said. "I just enjoy coming here. I dream about working on bikes. I literally do."
Fridrich opened the door to speak to a man looking to get inside.
“Sir, we’re closed on Wednesdays just so you know… back tomorrow anytime after 11 o’clock,” Fridrich told the man.
The business is also closed on Sundays.
Fridrich said giving customers top-of-the-line customer service has been his marching orders.
“This is not a big box store. We give a lot of personal service here. They know if they need something for their bike chances are we got it,” Fridrich said. “Every bike that I sell here is assembled, adjusted and when it's sold and ready to go, we adjust it one more time before it leaves the floor.”
But on Aug. 31, it comes to an end. Fridrich said the decision to close is a combination of finding trained workers becoming more challenging and the pandemic disrupting supply and demand and profit margins.
“And, I’m sure at some point you might want to relax and enjoy other things in life?” I asked him.
“Without question,” Fridrich said. “I mean my age is certainly a factor. I’m 84 and should have done this several years ago."
The Director of the Center for Family Business at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Laura Bonnet, said bike shops aren’t immune from what other industries have experienced post-pandemic.
A few months ago, Fleet Bike Shop in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood closed.
“When you have some retailers like a Walmart you know of the world saying this is where we're setting price because now, we have too much supply for demand it's hard for the family businesses to keep up with that,” Bonnet said. “Because they’re being dictated to what price point they have to be at but their cost structure looks different than the Walmarts.”
She added that customer habits are changing, which complicates matters for family-owned and small businesses that don’t evolve.
“Many people who were not shopping online before are now doing that more often, especially older generations who traditionally weren't online shoppers,” Bonnet said. “And then you have millennials who have always been online shoppers who are increasing their spending power… and so continuing to take a greater bite out of the economy in terms of online shopping.”
She said the center at CWRU is designed to provide family-owned businesses with educational programming and peer-to-peer support to help them thrive.
Fridrich is trying to sell the three buildings and parking lot that make up his business and hopes it can remain a bicycle shop. He said he’ll miss the face-to-face interaction with customers and the regulars with great memories.
“My dad brought me my first bike here or my uncle brought me down here and got me my first bike here back in 1982 or 1976,” Fridrich recalled of some of the stories he has heard over the decades. “That shows a lot of loyalty."
Fridrich said once the business closes, he’d like to spend more time announcing harness racing at area county fairs and perhaps would like to buy a few horses and make some money.
