Local bike shop owner celebrates store’s 10th anniversary

Mr. Goodbike is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of service and contribution to the Gainesville community this year.

Mr. Goodbike’s owner, 48-year-old Gus Woodruff, has been running the shop since its first day. A self-described avid cyclist, Woodruff worked for other bike shops in town until he decided to open Mr. Goodbike, located at 425 NW 13th St.

“I intended to just run a grassroots shop and treat people right,” Woodruff said. His intentions carried over into the store motto, which assures that they offer “nothing fancy, just good bikes and good service.”

“There are a lot of bike shops in town,” Woodruff said. “You’ve got to find your niche.”

The store experienced rapid growth within the first few years and was able to overcome some hefty obstacles along the way. One of the most difficult times for the shop was just after hurricanes Frances and Jeanne blasted through Gainesville in 2004, only one year after the start of business.

Mr. Goodbike’s building looks like a 1970s gas station that’s stood still in time and now displays, sells and fixes bicycles of all types.

Woodruff may be the owner, but he also acts as the shop’s landscaper, accounting for every rock and blade of grass on the property.

“It’s cool to flip the script,” he said. “Take something that was gas-powered and turn it into pedal power.”

Josh Brown, a 20-year-old UF computer engineering junior, went to Mr. Goodbike a year ago to replace his old, tattered ride.

“When I walked in, everyone was very laid-back,” Brown said. “At other shops, as soon as I came through the door, they were on me, trying to sell me something.”

Brown noted that so many of the bike shops in Gainesville have about the same products, so the difference is in customer service.

As a small business owner, Woodruff said he likes to support the local economy in any way possible.

“It’s all about local,” Woodruff said. “We try to keep it real with the community.”

After 10 years of “keeping it real,” Woodruff hopes to be in the same spot 10 years from now.

A man who never dreads work in the morning, Woodruff said he can’t imagine working for anyone but himself, and he plans to keep it that way.

“It’s a labor of love,” he said. “I don’t think anyone’s getting rich in the bicycle business.”

A version of this story ran on page 5 on 10/15/2013 under the headline "Local bike shop owner celebrates store’s 10th anniversary"