Sole bike shop closes business

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista GPP, Bella Vista's only bike shop, closed its doors Tuesday, July 24.
Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista GPP, Bella Vista's only bike shop, closed its doors Tuesday, July 24.

Bella Vista has become a town with more than 40 miles of bike trails and no bike shop. GPP Cycling, the city's sole bike shop, closed Tuesday, July 24, alongside the Bentonville store.

Kevin Whaley, part-owner of GPP Cycling, explained that the business is now going to be run exclusively from the Rogers store.

"The business at this location is not enough to justify the overhead," he said. "We've enjoyed our opportunity and time here."

According to a press release issued by GPP Cycling, the shop will continue to serve the general Northwest Arkansas area, including Bella Vista, with a pickup and dropoff service.

Whaley said the shop is keeping its best mechanics from each store at the Rogers location. He declined to say how many employees were terminated.

Travis Stephens, economic development manager for Bella Vista, said he was very surprised to hear the shop is closing, but he doubts it's because Bella Vista isn't a viable location.

"It seems like every day Bella Vista is becoming more entrenched in the biking culture," he said.

After hearing the shop was on its way out, Stephens said he got in touch with two other shops in the region to let them know Bella Vista is going to be without a shop. Both expressed interest, he said.

"That's a really good sign as far as where the market is," he said.

There are a handful of potential locations, Stephens said, and it's likely there will be another shop in town sometime in the next few months.

General News on 08/08/2018