Hi all:
Thanks for the introduction, Steve.
I guess I should let everyone know who I am and what the heck I think I'm doing
This started about 3 years ago when I moved into an old (read: basketcase) house near the neighborhood I grew up in, and I got all nostalgic and decided I wanted a BMX bike to mess around with on the streets I grew up on. I didn't really have any extra money for one, but found someone online selling most of a GT Performer and I sent him $120 money order and to date he has never sent me anything. It's not a lot of money, but for me for a toy, it was a bit of a set back - so I decided to deal in person with folks on Craigslist... and would stumble across deals... like $40 for a bike that I could part out and sell for maybe $150-$200 on E-bay. So I did a bit of that and about 2 years ago I came across a distributor who still had a bunch of stuff from the 1990's (and a bit from the 1980's) sitting in their warehouse. I had 3 pallets of that stuff delivered to my front door and promptly learned a LOT. Some stuff sold, some stuff didn't. Obviously if it was still sitting in a warehouse, it wasn't super rare/popular stuff - but I could see the potential. When some good selling items ran out, I asked about getting more and it turns out a lot of the original tooling still exists... and I was off and running.
I specialize in BMX stuff, late 70's to mid/late 1990's. I also was an avid mountain biker at the height of its popularity in the 1990's, so I have been dabbling in some of the 90's mountain bike stuff too. I recently met Andrew at Smoopy's in Murfreesboro, TN and realized that I really enjoy a lot of the older stuff that is his bread and butter (and that of Rat Rod Bikes) and as with any addiction, I'm sure I'll be spinning out of control with some of this stuff too.
Which reminds me, I'm open to suggestions on new products. I've been able to identify a lot of hard to find parts and had them made - ESPECIALLY "small parts" that most companies don't want to fool with because there is no money any it (well there is.. really good profits in fact... but 500% profit on a $0.40 item is still only $2.00 in your pocket, so the big guys ignore the small bits needed to fix/restore components) I'm also big on carrying a full selection of colors/designs/finishes, etc. And I like color a lot. One item that you may be interested in are 13/16" chromoly chrome plated seat posts - I just finalized a order to have some made in 400mm lengths (can be cut down as needed) in straight and layback versions. They'll be in stock around February.
I am a firm believer in respecting intellectual property - so anything I sell with a brand on it, I have either a licensing agreement or permission secured to be selling that brand. Also, if a brand is on an item, it is made by the person/company that owns the brand, so it is genuine stuff - but most likely manufactured in the past year or so. If an item is NOS, it's stated in the description.
In approx 2 years of being a "real business" it is myself, one full time employee (Carrie) and one part time employee (Eric). I do still work a full time job, but hope to quit and concentrate on this solely within the next few months. But don't think this is part time for me.. I've been working 7 days a week well into the wee hours since I started this - and loving every minute of it. We're huge believers in turning orders around fast. We ship everything USPS and get a pickup at 1:45PM Eastern every day that is an express to the nearest sorting center (in Atlanta, GA) - so your order doesn't do any mucking about with the local mail carrier, then sit around the local post office and maybe 24 hours after it leaves my hands it is finally on it's way somewhere - you place an order by mid-morning there is a good chance it's at least one time zone closer to you by midnight.
But all this speed does come at a price - we do not have a published phone number. If any of us are on the phone, we're not getting orders out the door. So far, with a handful of very very very rare exceptions, people would rather have low prices and fast turnaround on their order rather than chat live with a person
But, e-mails are answered quick, so don't hesitate to send questions that come up when you're placing an order.
We are just shy of 1000 different products on the website (
http://www.PorkchopBMX.com) with more coming in every week (check the New Products section - I try not to let anything sit in there longer than 6 weeks). In fact, this week should be the week I receive a long awaited Dia-Compe order with a lot of stuff remade from BITD, including 730 brakes in 5 anodized colors.
Thanks for reading this big long mess
Justin
