There’s a new player in the bicycle business.
Jeff “Ernie” Ernst is opening a shop on Easter Sunday to do bike tuning and repair. It’s a new venture, sort of. Ernst is the owner of Bootworks, which has been serving skiers at the base of Park City Mountain Resort for 23 years.
He’s always had a passion for cycling, so this spring he’ll start Bootworks Cycle Center. Bootworks is essentially transforming into a brand new business, he explained.
It’s been a long-time dream of his. He experimented with bike rentals eight years ago but the timing wasn’t right. Now the timing is perfect, he said.
Two of the area’s most popular bike mechanics, Kevin Holliday and Nate Miller, were looking for a change of scenery.
Ernst’s manager, Brian Potempa was chatting with them about their plans and pitched the idea of working for Bootworks. They agreed, and now Ernst is expecting “huge” amounts of tuning work coming in from day one.
The shop will also sell parts and accessories, take special orders and rent demo bikes, he said.
The other aspect of perfect timing is a surprising one: the recession. Ernst believes the current economy will generate more demand for the skills Holliday and Miller are known for. In good times, serious riders are always thinking about buying a new bike. Now, they’re thinking of how to retrofit and update their current road or mountain bikes.
He also believes his small boot shop is the perfect place.
PCMR has allowed cyclists to use the lift for many years to start rides mid-mountain.
“We’re about 100 yards from Payday Lift. A lot of people start their rides for the day from trailheads right here. It’s kind of the heart of mountain biking in Park City,” Potempa said. “We’ll be able to access 350 miles of single track in the Park City area right outside the door. After work, I’ll hop on and go for a ride.”
The lift makes it easy for visitors to have fun mountain biking as well. Anyone can have fun out there without being in great shape, Ernst explained.
“It’s a great place to escape the heat and locals can take advantage of the opportunity to try something different,” he said.
Ernst knows there’s a lot of competition in the area, but is confident he has what it takes. For starters, he has Holliday and Miller.
Olympic skier Jillian Vogtli said she’s a fan of the duo.
“I trust my bike with them. There’s loyalty there. They know what they’re doing. I’ve been trusting Nate and Kevin for years,” she said.
Local Dave Berry said he prefers small shops where you know the people working on your bike. Just like with ski boots, it’s important to know the shop understands your needs, he said.
“I think it’s great having another high-end bike shop to help service the community. They’ll be a personable shop,” he said.
Besides great mechanics, Potempa said they’ve got the experience needed.
“I’ve been selling bikes and been in the cycle business for 15 years now,” he explained. “We’ve been around the block. Just knowing how to run a business is the hardest part, and Ernie has been around a long time.”
Ernst and Potempa both have a passion for cycling. Ernst has sponsored numerous road and mountain bike races through Bootworks for decades, he said. He’s excited to open the shop because it will actually allow him to ride more, he said.
Eventually, Ernst would like to sponsor his own racing team. Until that time, he plans to offer limited services and products to top athletes in the Young Riders program and begin expanding from there.
Bootworks Cycle Center
649-3032
PCMR Resort Center (Third Level)
Opens this Easter