Membership at your community bike shops
Hi everyone,
I'm writing from the Cycles of Change APC Bike Shop in Alameda, California (near Oakland, CA). Cycles of Change APC is a *not-for-profit community bicycle shop* which opened in July 2006. It is a collaboration between Cycles of Change, a 10 year old East Bay youth bike education non-profit, and Alameda Point Collaborative (APC), a non-profit which manages housing and services for a 200 unit residential community comprised of 500 formerly homeless adults and families. Our website is: www.apcollaborative.org/cyclesbikes.htm
We are thinking about how to generate additional revenue for the shop. Currently we're selling and repairing bikes to bring in revenue. We're also partially supported by grants. One idea that we had was to create a membership program which would enable people to use our community repair shop, get discounts at our shop, and provide discounts to other bike shops in the area as well.
I'd especially like to hear from other programs with membership programs you've started. How much does it cost? What does it provide? Does any other group have experience with providing discounts to other shops? How big has your membership grown? How do you promote it?
Thank you,
Evan Lovett-Harris Cycles of Change APC 510-898-7830
Hi, First off, BikeRoWave is an incorperated Co-op. We began as a Not for Profit, all volunteer, all monies go back into the Co-op style project. We offer hourly and 1/2 hourly shop rental rates. Rates are $7-hr., $4-1/2hr. Customers are renting space & use of tools. (Not just 'stand time', as that is too limiting, what if customer doesn't need a stand, just some tools, see) We offer basic lubs on the work bench included in shop rates. Other than plain lubs, all other parts, are for sale. I'm thinking of filling a shop reusable squeeze bottle for a 'one use' portion of high cost/grade oils/lubs to offer for sale around a buck. We offer an Annual Shop Pass Card for $100, that gives the named card holder Unlimited shop time for one year to date. We are in the process of reviewing the $100; it may increase to, say $125. Origainally, we did not know better, we called the Annual Shop Pass Card a 'Membership'. When we incorperated as a member owned Co-op, we realized the volunteers are the Members/Owners/Volunteers, so we can't call the public customers members. BTW, I would love to have a catchier name, than, Annual Shop Pass Card... like with 'spoke card' in it or something!! We have some L.B.S. discount programs, but I'm not too sure of their effectiveness, and or use. Hope this helps Gern Board Chair Inventory Manager BikeRoWave Co-Op Inc.
The Bike Project of Urbana has a membership program. Memberships lasts a year. Since we're in a college town, we give students a discount... $40 for non-students, $25 for students. This membership gives access to the shop and tools during any open hours. Open hours are those that we have scheduled with volunteers on-site. We're open 4 days a week.
There are also ways to get a shop access key (requires a deposit) which would allow someone to come into the shop during off-hours.
Members get...
*Access to the shop and tools *Discounts on used and new parts *Access to the "Build-a-Bike" program (which allows them to build up a bike from the donated bike pool at a substantial discount)
Beyond memberships, we make money by selling volunteer-built bikes to the general public. I don't think we currently have any grants. One thing to point out is that I don't believe we are a non-profit. I guess Not-for-Profit would be a better description. I think a goal is to become a non-profit. I've only recently joined so the details on this stuff are still a little fuzzy to me.
--sam Staff Volunteer at The Bike Project
On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 3:13 PM, Gern Blanston getgern@gmail.com wrote:
Hi, First off, BikeRoWave is an incorperated Co-op. We began as a Not for Profit, all volunteer, all monies go back into the Co-op style project. We offer hourly and 1/2 hourly shop rental rates. Rates are $7-hr., $4-1/2hr. Customers are renting space & use of tools. (Not just 'stand time', as that is too limiting, what if customer doesn't need a stand, just some tools, see) We offer basic lubs on the work bench included in shop rates. Other than plain lubs, all other parts, are for sale. I'm thinking of filling a shop reusable squeeze bottle for a 'one use' portion of high cost/grade oils/lubs to offer for sale around a buck. We offer an Annual Shop Pass Card for $100, that gives the named card holder Unlimited shop time for one year to date. We are in the process of reviewing the $100; it may increase to, say $125. Origainally, we did not know better, we called the Annual Shop Pass Card a 'Membership'. When we incorperated as a member owned Co-op, we realized the volunteers are the Members/Owners/Volunteers, so we can't call the public customers members. BTW, I would love to have a catchier name, than, Annual Shop Pass Card... like with 'spoke card' in it or something!! We have some L.B.S. discount programs, but I'm not too sure of their effectiveness, and or use. Hope this helps Gern Board Chair Inventory Manager BikeRoWave Co-Op Inc.
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participants (3)
-
Cycles of Change APC -
Gern Blanston -
Sam Santos