ASHLAND – Anthony Bunt has a passion for cycling. He has raced, ridden in tours and enjoyed family bike rides his whole life. Now the Mapleton grad is getting ready to turn that passion into a business — Ashland Bike Company.
“We have a lot of experience to bring in to what we’re starting here. I think we can relate really well to any kind of consumer and what their needs are,” Bunt said.
Ashland Bike Company will open in June at 105 W. Main St., Suite D, in a portion of the former Gilbert’s Furniture building.
Bunt’s love of bikes started at a young age. He fondly remembers riding his bike all over the area as a kid and learning how to maintain and repair his own bikes.
Following high school, Bunt went to Ashland University and earned a degree in biology. About 11 years ago, Bunt and his wife, Michelle, moved to Nampa, Idaho, which is where a local bike shop helped plant the seed for Ashland Bike Company.
“I just decided one day I was going to go in and see if I could get a job in there,” Bunt said.
He approached the shop’s owner and asked if they were hiring. The owner was hesitant at first, but he told Bunt to come back and assemble a bicycle for him as a test.
“I must have done a good job, because he hired me,” Bunt said
He worked there for two years while completing his master’s degree. After completing his schooling, Bunt found a job teaching and gave up his work at the bike shop.
But that was not the end of Bunt’s bike shop experience, only the beginning. A few years later, a friend who had worked at the same bike shop decided to open his own shop. Bunt helped him some in his free time and saw what the experience was like for him, which further convinced Bunt of what he wanted to do.
“I had the opportunity to help him launch his company and watch it get off the ground … He’s been able to do really well,” Bunt said. “When we moved back, I had the idea that I would like to someday replicate that in Ashland.”
About four years ago, Bunt and his family moved back to Ashland County to be closer to family. He took a job teaching at his alma mater, but the wheels continued to turn in his head about someday opening a bike shop in Ashland.
At the end of last year, the opportunity arose to buy an existing bike business in town. While that ended up not working out for the Bunts, the experience spurred them to make the move to open their own business now.
“The thing that really stood out to me as I was going through the process of planning and researching and talking with cyclists in the community and talking with people who aren’t cyclists in the community but would like to buy a bicycle or get their bikes worked on, just that average Joe type of consumer, they expressed how they really wanted to see something new, something community-focused and consumer-focused in the Ashland area,” Bunt said. “Things just really fell into place and people came out to support what we’re doing and what our vision is for a shop here in Ashland.”
While there may be other bike shops in the area, Bunt is certain that the Ashland Bike Company will stand out and meet community needs.
“The thing that really distinguishes what we’re doing versus any of the competition in the area is that we really want to invest back into Ashland. Everything we’re trying to do is community-minded,” Bunt said. “Ultimately we saw a need in Ashland for something that was really outward-focused. We really want to provide a quality of product and service that did not exist in Ashland.”
To meet that need, Bunt intends to offer a wide range of bicycles to meet the needs of all cyclists.
“A typical bike shop really pays its bills with the family bicycles. Mom, dad, kids. We’re going to continue to support that and we will have a lot of inventory available for those consumers. But we also want to be able to provide the higher-quality machines for people who are serious or people who might want to try to pursue the sport a little more seriously,” Bunt said.
Several of the bike companies Bunt works with offer special programs that provide demo bikes for stores so customers can try out different types of bikes before buying.
Ashland Bike Company will also offer professional bike fitting services, from helmets to shoes and, of course, the bike.
“Programs are set up to really make sure that’s done properly and scientifically, and ultimately you end up with a bicycle setup that’s really comfortable to ride whatever your desired type of riding is,” Bunt said.
Education is a major part of the community efforts Bunt envisions doing through his business.
“We want to do things in the community to educate people on how to take care of their bicycles. How to maintain them. How to do things like fix your flat tires and move your chain and check your bike before you go out so you know it’s safe,” Bunt said. “I’ve done a lot of work for friends and family on their bicycles. One of the things I really stress is making sure it’s safe and it’s not going to break down while you’re out on it.”
Bunt has big plans for expanding bicycling opportunities and building a community of cyclists in the Ashland area.
“We have one of the best places to ride around. I’ve ridden all over the country in all kinds of different areas. And all of them have great things, but Ashland has, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places to ride. Just to go out your door and be out on country roads where there’s no traffic and lots of hills and curves and fun places to go and little towns to visit,” Bunt said. “We want to allow people to have the opportunity to experience that and organize some events leaving from Ashland and centered around Ashland.”
Bunt is excited to be part of the growing Ashland downtown and is ready to join the local business community.
“We’re working as closely as we can with local businesses and Main Street businesses, with other small start-ups who are trying to do the same thing in Ashland,” Bunt said. “I think that really is what is going to make a difference for our community and what we think is best.”
Bunt’s target date for a soft opening is June 8 with a grand opening later in June. Ashland Bike Company will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
