| Wed 24th Jul 2019 11:21
Finally, Evo Cycles has arrived in Nelson! This store has been a long time in the making, so we're massively excited to now be open to the public. We thought we would let you in on how the shop build progressed, and introduce you to Connor, our new store manager. Read more below...
Nelson was the first new store we had planned in our store expansion list in 2017, but we wanted to make sure we got right location. Finding the right spot took time, and as a result, we ended up choosing a site that needed more construction work and consent planning than a normal store would need. We’ve held the 8 Vanguard Street site in Nelson since March 2018, but the scale of work needed has meant we’re only getting ready to open it now. In the time that has passed since we initially started planning the Nelson store, we’ve opened 7 new Evo locations around the country!
Since council sign off a couple of months back, the shop fit out has gone very well. We’re really focused on utilizing the space to display as many bikes as possible without it feeling like a big box retailer. Its roughly 600m2, and we are looking to have approximately 150 bikes on display as well as a large clothing and parts representation from some of the worlds best brands. We’ll also have a good selection of hire bikes come summer.
We’re all looking forward to servicing the community and intend on having a strong hire focus. It’s also going to be great to bring our exclusive brands like Polygon to the region.
Connor Dove (Condor), Nelson Crew Leader
Hamilton born and bred.
4 years, 4 months.
Started out as the kid that just frothed for riding selling on the shop floor in Hamilton. From there I started working in Cambridge and Pukekohe for a year, just bouncing between those stores, killing it in sales. Over those years I spent a bit of time working in Tauranga and Te Awamutu, then I was promoted to the assistant manager role in Hamilton. During my time as an assistant manager in Hamilton, I was regularly sent off to other Evo stores to cover for managers needing time off.
For the last 11 months, however, I have been part of what we like to call 'Evo Trade'... It's basically a handyman role where we go around to any new Evo store and do the entire fit out by ourselves! It involved working crazy hours to get the stores open ASAP and working in those new stores on Saturdays until we can get them staffed properly. I have worked in every Evo store for a reasonable amount of time, except Wellington and Christchurch. I can't wait to take on this new role in Nelson as I have been waiting for it to happen since late 2017 haha.
I have always ridden bikes but things got serious when I started racing XC at the age of 13. I progressed to following the national circuit for a number of years, until 3 consecutive years of injury or sickness right at the start of each season finally crushed my motivation for racing XC. Not long after, I decided to ditch the sub 10kg plastic bikes in favour of #enduro bikes and rediscovered my love for bikes. I have spent most weekends since riding big squishy bikes. I do dabble in a bit of road cycling and love a good long ride with mates, or the occasional club race is always fun too. Cyclocross racing is always a good time so have done a few of those. Oh and I got second in the SS world's in Rotorua too!
It would have to be Rotorua as there are just so many awesome trails. My favorite one would have to be Jekyll and Hyde.
This would be when I rode over to the Mount in Tauranga from Hamilton, 142km mostly by myself, on the backroads, just chilled.
Definitely getting the Nelson store open and running. I want it to have a positive impact in Nelson and am looking forward to getting to know the riding community in Nelson too. And, of course, riding all the amazing local trails I have heard so much about!
Oh man that's hard, but I'm going to have to say the people. I've been lucky enough to work in most of our stores so I know most of the Evo crew. Even though we seem like a massive company, we are all just like minded, real cool people, that live and breathe bikes and just work as one team.
Let us know if you think there is something we need to improve.
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