Pedalers, peddlers preparing

Local bike-shop owners aren’t expecting much of a bump in business resulting from the USA Pro Challenge cycling race, but instead are looking forward to the impact the race is likely to have on Fort Collins’ laid back cycling culture.

The Pro Challenge will visit Northern Colorado Saturday, Aug. 24, beginning at the Ranch in Loveland and ending in downtown Fort Collins. This year is the first time that the race, the nation’s largest, has made Northern Colorado a part of its route. Race organizers raised more than $500,000 to bring the race here.

The level of press and buzz around cycling is the most exciting part of the Pro Challenge for Brad Brown, manager of Full Cycle in Fort Collins.

The staff at Full Cycle will work on “enhancing the experience” of visitors to their store, at 2101 S. College Ave., but Brown said he is not anticipating any large increase in race day sales.

People who are in town to watch the race aren’t likely to purchase bikes while they’re here, Brown said. Most will come to the store just to look around, but Full Cycle will have other merchandise, including things such as Colorado-specific riding jerseys, on hand in case those patrons want to purchase some memorabilia.

The store is already staffed up this time of year, Brown said, since back-to-school season is a busy time for all retailers.

Even though Full Cycle isn’t located downtown, where the majority of the activity from the race will congregate, its location on College Avenue, a busy thoroughfare for out-of-towners, is prominent. It may catch some eyes of cycling enthusiasts headed to the race’s finish line, located on Mountain Avenue just west of CooperSmith’s Brewing, a brewpub and iconic piece of Old Town Square.

“It will be interesting to see what kind of traffic we get since we’re out of Old Town,” Brown said.

CooperSmith’s will have about 20 extra staffers on hand to deal with the extra traffic, according to Sandra Longton, general manager at CooperSmith’s.

Managers and other staff will use last weekend’s NewWestFest as a template for the Pro Challenge, Longton said. Dealing with large events downtown is old hat for many businesses and employees at downtown businesses, and summer is always a busy time, which means that CooperSmith’s beer reserves are prepared for the onslaught as well.

“We’re brewing as much as possible every day,” Longton said.

The Old Town community in general is excited for the race to roll into town, she said.

“We’re looking forward to showcasing how unique Old Town Fort Collins is,” she said. “There’s a nice little buzz in our community.”

Newcomers to Old Town are anticipating the race as well. Suzanne Akin’s clothing shop, Akinz, just celebrated its one-year anniversary at 15 Old Town Square No. 132.

Akin’s small store will double its staff on race day, from one employee to two.

“It’s a pretty small space, so it’s easy to monitor,” Akin said. That second employee will be busy keeping an eye on the store’s sidewalk sale products – something that is typically not allowed by city code.

The city of Fort Collins usually restricts sidewalk sales, Akin said, but lifts that restriction every so often for special occasions. The Downtown Business Association helps get the necessary permitting, Akin said.

Being able to keep merchandise just outside the door can help draw customers in who might otherwise walk past, she said.

In its short time downtown, Akinz has benefitted from the many festivals held there, Akin said. During NewWestFest 2013, a three-day event, the store “close to doubled” its typical sales, she said.

Akinz actually began profiting from the Pro Challenge earlier this month, when special orders began coming in for custom printing on yellow clothes. Yellow is Northern Colorado’s stage color, Akin said.

Akinz specializes in products that are handmade in the store, and locals who want to support the race started putting in orders for yellow merchandise to wear on race day more than a week ago, Akin said.

Higher sales likely will be seen in clothing stores and restaurants, according to Nathan Hope, owner of Brave New Wheel, an Old Town cycling shop at 105 E. Myrtle St.

The store will be open Saturday, but like Brown at Full Cycle, Hope expects most of the traffic in his store will be driven by curiosity rather than a need to purchase something.

Still, Hope will be working to get the word out about his shop during the race. He is partnering with Trail Head, a downtown bar, to print up and hand out promotional koozies – beer can insulators – during the event.

Rather than a boost for his bottom line, Hope is most looking forward to the impact the race could have on the local bike culture. Fort Collins has long been a bike-friendly town, but a race of this magnitude will expose the city to a more competitive cycling culture.

Local tourism officials and race organizers have said from the beginning that the impetus for bringing the race to Fort Collins was not to generate direct economic impact, but instead to showcase Northern Colorado to the world. With the race slated to receive 23 hours of coverage on NBC, those officials may get their wish.

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