Richard Mattmann owned the Hive Bike Shop in Peru, Indiana until 1987. The shop was 3 blocks from where I grew up and I spent an awful lot of time there. While I never actually worked for Richard (I started working there when he sold it), he was a big influence on my career.
The Hive Bike shop was a magical place for me. I loved looking at all the new bikes and accessories there. Many of the bikes were 'custom' built with matching cables and bar tape, or had fenders and racks, or had matching tires and pad kits (on the BMX bikes). I can still remember the 'custom built by RLM' tags on some of them. It was rare for a bike to go out the door without accessories of some sort along with it.
The signage throughout the store is something that I've always remembered. All the signs were hand drawn and looked neat. They drew your attention to a product or feature and all the signs in the store were similar and worked together. Shopping in the store (or even just hanging out) was an experience beyond just buying something. There was even a rumor that he could write a work order or receipt upside down, so you could read it from the other side of the counter as he wrote.
Although I didn't work for him directly and was never actually taught to work on bikes by Richard, I feel like I learned quite a lot from him as I grew up. He was successful in a small store and he was able to make a unique shopping experience in that store. He established a level of quality that set him apart from others and justified his higher prices. This is what we try to do today with much bigger stores and far more product to choose from.
The Hive Bike shop was the biggest influence in my life other than my parents. It set me on a course in the bike industry that has lasted nearly 30 years doing a job I love. I feel that many of my core retail values come from what I learned in that store and what Richard was able to create there. I was probably a pain in his neck back then, but what I learned in that store has stayed with me for every bit of the 30 years since. For that, Richard Mattmann deserves a big Thank You.
The Hive Bike shop was a magical place for me. I loved looking at all the new bikes and accessories there. Many of the bikes were 'custom' built with matching cables and bar tape, or had fenders and racks, or had matching tires and pad kits (on the BMX bikes). I can still remember the 'custom built by RLM' tags on some of them. It was rare for a bike to go out the door without accessories of some sort along with it.
The signage throughout the store is something that I've always remembered. All the signs were hand drawn and looked neat. They drew your attention to a product or feature and all the signs in the store were similar and worked together. Shopping in the store (or even just hanging out) was an experience beyond just buying something. There was even a rumor that he could write a work order or receipt upside down, so you could read it from the other side of the counter as he wrote.
Although I didn't work for him directly and was never actually taught to work on bikes by Richard, I feel like I learned quite a lot from him as I grew up. He was successful in a small store and he was able to make a unique shopping experience in that store. He established a level of quality that set him apart from others and justified his higher prices. This is what we try to do today with much bigger stores and far more product to choose from.
The Hive Bike shop was the biggest influence in my life other than my parents. It set me on a course in the bike industry that has lasted nearly 30 years doing a job I love. I feel that many of my core retail values come from what I learned in that store and what Richard was able to create there. I was probably a pain in his neck back then, but what I learned in that store has stayed with me for every bit of the 30 years since. For that, Richard Mattmann deserves a big Thank You.
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