Partner Article

BMX business success is out of the box

A Sunderland bike enthusiast is riding high after his first month in business exceeded all of his expectations, and saw him sell three times as many cycles as expected.

Lee Southern, 36 and from Doxford Park, Sunderland, opened his store, The BMX Box, in the city’s Silksworth area in July after giving up his 20 year career as a welder.

Lee Southern said: “My previous job took me all over Europe, but after 20 years I had just had enough. I decided that it was time to focus my attention something that I enjoy, and for me enjoyment means biking.

“Despite the fact that there is a massive BMX scene in Sunderland as well as excellent riding provisions, there wasn’t a specialist outlet for people to get hold of equipment and maintain their bikes properly.”

Lee acquired premises in Silksworth, a stones throw away from the local skate park, and converted it from a fruit and vegetable store into a BMX outlet.

At the same time, he embarked upon a Be Your Own Boss course at the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC), and developed a business plan with the organisation’s advisers, before opening the shop last month.

Lee said: “I was confident about the business from day one, as I have done my research and I knew that the market was out there, but I have been absolutely over the moon with the response that we have had so far.”

In only four weeks since he opened The BMX Box, Lee has sold more than three times the amount of bikes anticipated in his business plan, and is receiving excellent feedback from national and international suppliers who are lending their support to the business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .