Bye Bye 2020, A Look Back

Wow!

It's probably safe to say that everyone can agree that 2020 has absolutely not been what anyone expected. From a full blown global pandemic, toilet paper shortages, to the seemingly endless list of other things that left us all wondering how much more we could take, it was quite a year, For us, it was a year that started out with a lot of excitement as we started work on opening our first retail location, Biloxi Bicycle Works, leading with the Specialized brand. Only 2 weeks from the planned opening of the new store, a lockdown was announced and we all held our breath with concern over what might come next.

What came was nothing any of us had expected in our industry. Demand for outdoor gear, and especially bicycles, weather mountain bikes, gravel, or road bikes, went through the roof. Orders came in faster than we could keep up, inventory systems struggled with rapidly changing availability, and scarcity became a very real challenge we all had to deal with. Sometimes that meant giving some of our customers bad news, but thankfully, because of our great partners like Marin Bikes and Kuat, we were able to by and large have inventory available to our customers.

Everyone on our team worked crazier hours then ever before, we invested in system upgrades, trained new staff, and did everything we could to keep up. Being an online bicycle dealer for popular brands like Marin Bikes and Niner, it meant that orders came in around the clock and bicycles would frequently be sold out before inventory even landed at our facility. In short, it was pure madness and we worked hard to pull it off.

Over the a span of about nine months (and felt like several years) we've gotten more gray hair, added facilities, hired staff, and adjusted to new realities along with everyone else. Ironically, while many people got out to ride more, enjoyed the great outdoors, or hopped on a bike for the first time, our team (and many others in this industry) probably rode less than ever before as we worked to keep up! For the coming year, we've set a goal to spend more time out on bikes and and join the many of you who've joined our ranks as cyclists!

It's been an incredible journey and we're grateful to our customers for being part of it and for trusting us with their business!

Here's to a better 2021 and joining you out on the trails, gravel or road!

Bart & Daniel
GovVelo.com & Biloxi Bicycle Works
Co-Founders