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Antique shops and vintage bikes

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jacob9795

I live for the CABE
Has anyone had any luck selling rideable low budget vintage bikes in the antique shops as a hobby? My town is hopeless, maybe someplace else. I’m surprised at how many people like my bikes while on the road, I wish I could encourage them to actually get one, or ride a fudgeing bike in general.
 
About 5 years ago at a Seattle antique shop i visit had just bought a collection of balloon Schwinns. I bought a decent Phantom and a coup of B6's from them.

I checked with them last week when in town and the remainder, another Pantom, couple of B6's, a Corvette, and a couple of Columbias were still there unsold. All were priced at the high end but not overly so.
 
Many years back....like 20 -25....I used to Consign restored deluxe bicycles in high end Los Angeles
Antique Malls... 2 in particular that were good spots, one in Santa Monica and one in Culver City
area (Sadly both shops are gone). The beauty of it was both venues hung the bikes high out of
grabbing / messing with range. The bikes would eventually sell but took a good while as in months..
AND the shops would charge 35% for this service...so I had to price the bikes 35% over what I wanted
to net.
There was a shop in Studio City in LA I tried once, but they had low ceilings and the bike had to sit
on the floor. Bad move. Reflector went missing and other issues... Suffice to say i pulled that one
out there pretty quick.

Antique malls are hitting hard times... not the venues they used to be for bike consignments etc.

One thing I've noticed traveling...especially in the midwest Ohio, Illinois etc. I would pop into antique
malls looking around and see bikes there for sale, usually horrible bikes and overpriced and a year later
on the same route....pop in....Bikes were still there... ridiculous.
 
I used to rent a booth at an antique mall and they let me put antique bikes on their front porch. Once a Prop Master for a well known movie co stopped by looking for items for a movie, saw the bikes and got my information from the shop owner. That led to a very profitable relationship renting bikes out to movie companies!
 
Yea the antique shops are unfortunately dying out ... They are now a days a place to go after a lunch date . Unfortunately people now a days are willing too embrace technology solely and willing to ignore the way things used to be made , bought and cherishing.... Ikea anyone
What a joke
Oh for the old Days
Junkman
Bob
 
I used to put a lot of miles hunting down antique shops and second hand stores and garage sales,estates,etc. Times have changed and some for the good.I still enjoy finding the treasure at a cheap price but its getting harder to do.The internet informs people of values so its tough on the bargain hunters.
 
I used to rent a booth at an antique mall and they let me put antique bikes on their front porch. Once a Prop Master for a well known movie co stopped by looking for items for a movie, saw the bikes and got my information from the shop owner. That led to a very profitable relationship renting bikes out to movie companies!
Do you deliver and pick up the bikes?
 
Yea the antique shops are unfortunately dying out ... They are now a days a place to go after a lunch date . Unfortunately people now a days are willing too embrace technology solely and willing to ignore the way things used to be made , bought and cherishing.... Ikea anyone
What a joke
Oh for the old Days
Junkman
Bob
Most of the antique shops around here closed down too. There’s one big one that all the local sellers are selling at now. I remember going to antique shops with my parents and they were all over the place
 
There's an antique shop near me , it's in a kinda trendy neighborhood for young familys who like bungalows and cool casual restaurants .... Well , they have a nice ballooner tank bike they park on the sidewalk every weekend ..... when stopped in to see about buying it .... the lady explained its a prop to draw folks in ... not for sale ....

gave me the idea i would like to find my way to rent a few classic bikes for retail store window display or to restaurants for decor .......

sure you take the risk of some scratches and scuffs .... but anything more than an outflow for storage is positive carry !!
 
Yes, turn the bike into an asset.
Maybe a good burger spot with a vintage bicycle theme, have bicycles in there, one on a work stand, design drawings on the walls. The fixtures would be bicycle themed, phantom stools and hubs for toilet paper; an industrial look to the sealing. Lock some old bikes up out front...
 
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