Simpson' s Cycles. closed down?

Simpsons have been shut since before Christmas. Sign on the door says closed until further notice.

I emailed them and got the same respone, no reason why.

Another LBS feeling the strain from the big guns?

that's a shame. Bought my first bicycle there.

Could be personal reasons, it is still a family business...

Thought that this morning, hope all is well with the family

saw this notice outside their shop today as I walked past
(hopefully my picture attached...)

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Ha. They always had the dysfunction of a familiar business. Good luck to them.

Deliveries

It seems they are closing down and selling up...
probably thanks to people wanting to "price match" rather then support a good local business, and "borrow tools" rather then pay a mechanic to do a good job. Sad times

I've used them in the past for picking up some parts, both in-store and online, good prices, friendly people. Shame to see them close.

I got my first bike there in 1982, a red burner Bmx. Still go in there from time to time. The dad died a couple of years ago but it still seems fairly busy.

They have been reorganising the left hand side of the shop, and have operating out of the right hand side for the last two months, until they can put the whole shop back together again.

My guess is they are choosing the quietest week of the year to finish off the building work.

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2014/jan/one-londons-oldest-bike-shops-goes-appointment-only-after-complaining-customers-took-t

Bromptons, one of the big brands the family sold, went into competition with them.

By opening a showroom 5km away?

They would ask lots of technical questions, get lots of advice on what to buy – and then they would write it all down and buy it off the internet.

I used to work in a shop (music tech stuff) that had that problem.

It's fairly easy to convince a customer once you've identified that and make the deal better overall.

Seems like they are lashing out at everyone else rather than looking at themselves.

By opening a showroom 5km away?

... which apparently tells people to go to a Brompton Premium Dealer rather than buy it direct from the showroom? (I've never been there, but I've been told that that's how it works.) Perhaps Simpson's didn't get a good dealing arrangement with Brompton?

Seems like they are lashing out at everyone else rather than looking at themselves.

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If they're unwilling to adapt to the current climate, then there's not much they can do to stay open.

Simpson always had their own very definite micro climate.

Still has I suppose.

Seems an odd move by them. Sure, buying online is a problem but every customer they help has a fair chance of choosing them for repair work in future, even if they don't actually buy there.

... which apparently tells people to go to a Brompton Premium Dealer rather than buy it direct from the showroom? (I've never been there, but I've been told that that's how it works.) Perhaps Simpson's didn't get a good dealing arrangement with Brompton?

Brompton Junction is not exactly an example of ruthless capitalism (no aggressive pricing, no quicker turnaround and no marketing at all). In fact I was surprised they're not trying harder to actually make money (it's a business after all). I work for a shop selling Bromptons, and we're much closer to Covent Garden than Simpson's are. Yet I can't say it's unfair competition, because it's not.

The whole "getting advice from us and then buying online" frustrates me too, and I wonder about the future of the LBS. However it seems to me that some shop owners shift all of the blame instead of admitting that *maybe *their 70's business model just isn't relevant anymore.

Cutting off nose to spite face..

My brother and I got our first ever bikes from Simpsons in 1978, which we swapped endlessly, a red chopper and a white 5 speed racing bike.. living on a housing estate (Wendling) meant we rode a lot between Talacre, Mansfield Rd and Kentish Town, before expanding our territory to the Heath and into the West End. Amazing freedom from a young age.

/csb

I can't help wondering if this has anything to do with it as well:

https://plus.google.com/app/basic/local/111752811526774481047/reviews?start=3