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Gords in Winnipeg Closed

PB Forum :: Canada - Central
Gords in Winnipeg Closed
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Author Message
flag wpgrider
Posted: Oct 27, 2008 at 15:34 Quote
Hey Guys...
So as of most of you know, Gord's in Winnipeg has closed.
I've got a lot of inside info on what is happening, and it;s pretty sneaky.
The old manager, JF (who is the snakiest of them all) has devised a plan to "takeover" the bankruptcy.
I'm not going to tell anyone where to shop or who to like, but I will say be careful when, and if, Gord's reopens. It won;t be the old Gord's, it will be a new, snakey owner who doesn;t care about the bike industry, just himself running a business.

Take it or leave it...thanks Guys.
flag Stoyka
Posted: Oct 28, 2008 at 14:26 Quote
Hmmm, interesting. Is your idea of making a shop yourself still going through? Or is that over now?
flag wpgrider
Posted: Oct 28, 2008 at 14:27 Quote
yup still going...thanks for asking...
just waiting on a few more bucks to be approved from BMO, then we're rolling.
Signed a lease yesterday for february
flag GordsWinnipeg
Posted: Apr 8, 2009 at 14:54 Quote
Interesting comments, wpgrider.

As a little update, I'm happy to report that we did indeed manage to get a small group of investors together. Conscientious and community minded, these fine folks refused to allow Gord's to slip away quietly in the night. Together we worked hard and invested lots of money in order to save the Gord's name and resuscitate a Winnipeg institution.

As I write this on April 8 2009 we've been reopened for 5 months now and things are going good. 90% of our orginal staff came back to help us re-open the doors at Kenaston and Donald. All of us are in this together, everyone of us are more than ever committed to seeing Gord Reid's (our beloved founder) original vision through. To care for our customers, to do the right thing by our community, to respect and grow the culture that Gord created. To create a fun atmosphere and to support the sports that allow us to make a living by doing what we love.

Support for the re-birth of Gord's under new ownership has been simply overwhelming, from the media to most of our suppliers to our tremendous customer base... It's been quite the journey. Humbling, exciting and full of amazing challenges... One that we could not have embarked-on without our amazing staff.

That being said, it's really sad for me to trip over a post like this one. After all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that we all put into resurrecting this institution, to read something like what's above this post is a real bummer.

Thankfully Winnipeggers have spoken with their wallets and supported us in our relentless efforts. Without their tremendous generosity and loyalty we would not have been able to pull it off.

THANK YOU to all of you out there who believed in us.

Take care and happy trails!

Jean-Francois Ravenelle
President, General Manager and proud Partner
jf@gords.com
Gord's Ski and Bike
1765 Kenaston and 2 Donald
www.Gords.com
flag wpgrider
Posted: Apr 21, 2009 at 6:17 Quote
Revolt, you hit the nail on the head. The retail industry needs to be based around customer service. I don't want to feel like I'm interrupting a conversation when i walk into a shop. I want the best f-in service I can possible get. Winnipeg is a tight market, and i'm not sure if it needs another shop. When i look at projections, it says go, but more importantly, when I look at unhappy customers of currently established shops, there is definately something missing there.

Cheers to JF for getting Gord's back up and running, but all you did was collect more money, that if you keep doing business the way you were beforehand (which so far I have seen no change having visited the stores a few times after closing), you will go bankrupt again. Winnipeggers are picky, price, and service are important, and you have the price....
flag GordsWinnipeg
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 0:08 Quote
Hey there... Me again.

Interesting and valid points guys, except for "revolt's" bullsht comment about us over-exaggerating our "community mindedness and collective benefits". I dare you to find a shop that is doing more to grow our sport outside of racing and who is devoting more of it's resources to helping worthy causes like IMBA.

Oh, and then there was another BS remark that I take strong exception to "wpgrider": Stating that all I did was "collect more money"... Well let's just say it was a little more complicated than that and a sht-load more life-altering for me than simply "collecting more money". It was about making a life changing decision to not let Gord Reid's legacy slide into darkness. It was about me committing my life to the Winnipeg market long term and it was about making sure this amazing group of people (our staff) who worked so hard for so long together to stay together, for us to finish what we started.

Our single biggest struggle now is to compete with "cheaper" because let's face it, there will always be cheaper. No matter how low one goes, there is always someone willing to sell it to you for less... all the way down to "stolen". One of the most shitty things shops have to deal with these days is the justified desire that folks like "Revolt" have for sampling, seeing and touching certain products... Products that we simply can't offer at competitive prices in relation to what can be found on-line. So we make difficult decisions and sell only products that we can buy at low enough prices to be competitive.

So guys get angry because we can't stock Fox 36 TALAS R's because there is no way we can carry that product and sell it anywhere near what we would have to in order to stay in business. When we know we can't come close to being competitive pricing-wise we sometimes dissuade a customer from getting that item from us, we think it's the ethical thing to do... and if in turn it makes someone so pissed-off that they feel the need to vent on-line (like here) then I guess that's the cost. Sometimes it's simply that we can't get certain product... Like K2 who decided they did not want to do business with "new Gord's" because the bankruptcy of "old Gord's". Perhaps more transparency is needed there... We'll talk about it and let you know.

Here's another point I love to read about: It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine to hear guys bitch about the lack of infrastructure and bike parks and such when they gladly buy stuff on-line, bypassing paying city and provincial taxes that are needed in order for these projects to be funded.

The problem with cities like Winnipeg is not the bike shops, it's some customers refusing to pay what needs to be paid in order for them to get what they want.

Once again, I beg to correct you "wpgrider" when you say you have not seen change... there has been change and while sometimes it's good (like the fact that we have dropped many of our prices thanks to our aggressive lowest price policy) sometimes unfortunately it's not always for the better. For example: We have had to reduce our staff levels by 20% (mostly by not replacing temp staff that moved on) in order to keep costs down. For the record, we still we have the largest staff of any Winnipeg Sports Retailer... Go figure!

One last thing: As for your comment, that you're interrupting conversations when you walk in... I certainly hope you were not referring to Gord's (and if so please accept my apologies and please, let me know where and when) that's NOT how we do business.

We're no idiots, we know who butters our bread. It's you, the customer. All of us at Gord's care deeply that your experience is the best it can be with the limited resources that this market will allow, we're doing our best and yes, that's not good enough... So we bust our asses every single day to get better, more efficient and more professional. Keep on holding our hands to the fire guys, we should never become complacent and therefore I certainly appreciate the feedback, no matter how skewed it may be.

-JF
flag The-Pitbull
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 9:37 Quote
you know, JF does have a number of good points, as do some of you

HOWEVER, many of the parts that people who are in the sport WANT are expensive and/or not commonly stocked because they are not frequently sold. Sitting on a 20 dollar fancy-pants doohickey for 3 years would basically cost the same as buying 6 (or more) tourney rear derailleurs. Which, given the bikes bought @ Wally-land, or Canuck Tire, is a very likely item to see damaged.

So, the only option is to order them from a supplier. Heres where things can get sticky.

You didn't buy from a shop? OK, so maybe they have to charge a bit more in labor to help you install it. Coolbeans right? wrong. If the shops in Winnipeg fold because we are all bargain hunting, then shockingly enough, when I have an F-bombed frame that needs the BB faced and chased, then where do I go? Jensons? Me thinks not.

Wpgrider: No matter how many shops there are in winnipeg, there will ALWAYS be unhappy people. Its a fact of life. And if you feel you are interrupting a convo in a shop, then interrupt it. The guys don't care if they have to continue a story 30 minutes later.

FYI: I know JF, and I know that you can insult him till the cows come home and he'll only get mildly cheesed at you, but take shots at his shop(s) or his staff, and its on like donkey kong.
flag fluffles
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 9:47 Quote
i agree with JF completely on this
flag jlatonas
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 10:41 Quote
I don't know what revolt is talking about, but I've witnessed Gords donate more than enough loot to various groups and charities, including my own organization. JF has been extremely generous with that. I've also been a part of basic bicycle maintenance seminars that they've held, as well as watched groups of 20 or more people busy building bridges for trails around Manitoba. I think revolt needs to get his facts straight before he goes around bad mouthing shops. Maybe he should consider joining the club (you can get a trail builder membership... for that purpose) then he'll see what Gords really does for the riding community.

Common people. Gords is a great winnipeg owned company and always has been that does a lot for the riding community whether you see it or not. We should support them and help keep them with us. P.S Jensen USA can lick my bag.
flag wpgrider
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 10:51 Quote
Alot of good comments here. I have to disagree with PitBull here. Of course i'll interupt that convo when i enter a shop. But i shouldnt feel like I am intruding on a personal matter, and should come back another time, because frankly, i won't, and i'll go somewhere else.
JF has great points, but I also agree with Revolt here too, alot needs to be done if the community JF says he has build if it wants to continue.

I also want to interject on the mountain bike club. I think it's a great idea, however, charging people to get together and bike, fix and build trails etc, and in return getting a discount? Isn't that why we cycle? to improve our trails, meet and ride with new people?

My 2 cents
flag revolt
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 10:55 Quote
I agree with Winnipeg rider.
flag mudmaven
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 11:46 Quote
I don't usually write on forums but I thought this one was worth it. I shop at Gord's and some other bike stores too. I don't ride with their club because my schedule doesn't allow it, but I have friends that do and they say it's a good time, even done some trail building and trail cleaning with them too. Some of them shop there more than I do and they say that at times there have been small issues, but most the time they get the help and the stuff they need and the staff are nice. No one is perfect. It just sucks that people don't understand retail and how difficult it is (I work in retail). It's always good to support a local business. Gord's is an icon in the city, whether or not you shop there, people know the name and what they do. Every shop does their part in some way I am sure but to do it ALL (like Revolt said) is ridiculous. How are you supposed to run a business and survive while feeding the poor and giving away free stuff? There is a balance. Try being a business owner some time and see how much time you can spend being a do-gooder and make a living? We all want to be good people, but we have to pay our bills. Give small businesses a break...harp on the big guys for a change. We do the best we can and it never seems to be good enough.
flag GordsWinnipeg
Posted: Apr 22, 2009 at 12:05 Quote
Now you've done it... Here comes Donkey Kong:

Dear "revolt" as per your defamatory comments regarding involvement in our community let me simply mute your point by pointing out just a few of the many causes and organizations that we proudly support:

> Marymound at-risk youth bike training program: http://www.marymound.com/wp/marymound-school
> River View Health Care Centre Foundation: http://www.rhcf.mb.ca/
> International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA): http://www.iba.com
> Manitoba Cycling Association: http://www.cycling.mb.ca/
> Kids of Mud: http://www.kidsofmud.ca
> Big Brothers and Sisters of Winnipeg: http://www.bigwinnipeg.com/en/Home/default.aspx

We have NEVER charged for our biking seminars and we go anywhere we're asked to go... North, South and West (we don't go East... that's just crossing the line).

And as for your statement that you haven't seen us out there doing mantenance and building trails, here is the account of some of what we've done in the trail-building, river clean-up and trail maintenance side of things:

Trailbuilding efforts: http://www.gords.com/bikes_club_trailbuilding.html
More Trailbuilding: http://www.gords.com/bikes_articles_EHL.html
Working with IMBA: http://www.gords.com/bikes_club_IMBA07_visit.html
Here's what IMBA said about us: http://onthetrail.imbatools.com/?p=113#comments

Here are some testimonials from club members and customers about what we've contributed to their experience:

http://www.gords.com/bikes_club_testimonials.html
http://www.gords.com/culture_testimonials.html

Finally, perhaps you should take a moment to get your facts straight before you slander a business and the fine folks who work hard to provide professional services and quality product for their valued customers. At Gord's it's not just about the end profit, it's about ethical retailing and responsible corporate citizenship.

And that is all I have to say about that at this time.

Happy trails,

-JF
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