Modern Vespa

It is with great sadness that I must announce the closing of NoHo Scooters at the end of the year. I started the business with my father back in 2002. I kept the shop open through good and bad times including the death of my father in 2007. We have been LA's premier scooter shop and have had the pleasure of representing many great brands. Our support of the local scooter scene and the LA Scooter Group has been a highlight of the past ten years. We have had the best customers, many of whom have become great friends.

I'm not going to go into the reasons for the shop's closure, as there are many. I don't consider it a failure, as it has been a great pleasure taking care of the scooter riding public in Los Angeles. It has not been an easy decision to close, but I know now that it is the right decision.

Effective immediately we will no longer take in any service or repair work beyond a quick service, tire change, brakes, etc. Anything beyond that will be sent to Route 66 Riders in Marina Del Rey, as they are a dealer for all the same makes as us (except Kymco). We are going to keep the service department open as long as we can to get existing larger jobs finished.

We still have an inventory of new and pre-owned scooters and motorcycles, which will be part of a blowout sale beginning today. Out of respect of other dealers in the area, I will not be advertising our sale prices. On Saturday December 15th, we will be having a going out of business party. Our annual Holiday Lights Ride will take place after closing at 6PM. Our last day of operation for the showroom, and service drop-offs will be Saturday December 22nd. We will keep the service department open the following week to get existing work finished.

Thank you once again to all of our great customers and friends for the past ten years. I'm sure I will see you on a scooter ride in the future.

Mike Frankovich
Owner of NoHo Scooters

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Not another awesome scooter shop closing...

Jared will be crushed...

I am SUPER bummed about this!

I was hoping to return to LA in the next several months or so, and had NoHo Scooters fairly close to the top of my list of first stops! Seriously, the only thing I wanted to do before going by there was getting a Double Double.

Thank you, Mike, for everything you did for the LA scooter community. And a personal thanks for that first insane trip you helped me complete so many years ago.

Sorry to hear this Mike, your name has been intrinsically entrenched in all things "scooter" since I can remember.

It seemed natural for you to open NoHo and its been one of the LA area's coolest shops, and the only one I know of in LA with one foot in the vintage side, while keeping the other in the modern side with equal expertise and sincere interest in both sides of the equation. You've been one of a kind that way.

I hope this is a positive for you and your family, best wishes.

I'm on the right coast, but hate to see any brick and mortar shops close. It seems you have a lot of fans as MV members, so it's extra sad to hear of your closing. Good luck with any future endeavors.

I'm sorry to hear this too, and wish you all the best.

Len

This is really sad. Mike is a super guy. Last decade, he and his wife introduced me to many wonderful friends, horchata to drink, and countless great scooting roads in So. Cal. I'll always be grateful for their hospitality and I wish them the best.

It's so painful to see some of the oldest shops in NYC and LA closing We really need to support our local shops. I haven't figured out how to get a belt changed, or the valves adjusted, or tires mounted, online.

Unbelievable... Last year Santa Barbara closed. This year, numerous more. Recently announced was the closure of Soho, and now North Hollywood. If Vespa shops can't stay open in these prime scooting areas, it scares me for the rest of the country.

oh no! This is sad news......so sorry Mike. I haven't met you yet but hopefully I will if you are there when we do the Christmas Light ride with the LASG.

I do sincerely wish you well in the future.

Very sad news but what a classy way to go out. Much respect Mike. Good luck in your future endeavors...I know a platitude but I really mean it.

so sorry to read this news. Best wishes for whatever you do next.

Speechless... I did not see this coming. I always had a great time hanging around the shop and for LA Scooter Group Rides. Unfortunately I will be out of town for the closing and the holiday lights ride, and I will certainly miss the place...

Good luck to you Mike!

Mike is a Fucking Prince.

What a loss.

God Speed to you Sir.

I remember I am in your debt.

R

Say it isn't so.... I was just there the other day picking up a set of canyon dancers so I could bring my GTS in and had no idea! Mike, I wish you the best andI'll stop by soon. Thanks for your hospitality and service to the scooter community!

This is heart breaking! You guys have been awesome!

Mike is a gentleman and super nice guy.

He is the first owner in the USA of my non-import 65' li125 special.

Somewhere I have a pic of him sitting on my bike with the owner of Scooterworks on one side and the owner of Scooterwest on the other.

Mike, I just want to say thanks for all the help, leadership and good times you have given LA scooterists over the years. I'm sure we will continue to see you involved in the LASG. This is tough news to hear as many of our group activities centered around the shop. Best of luck and I'm sure we'll catch up on the road.

Well that sucks

There are few people in this industry who do business with the honesty, integrity and dignity that Mike had over the years. No other shop has done as much for the local scooter community. I've been lucky to have them as my local shop.

There are many places to buy a scooter or get one fixed. It's rare to have one where the people behind the shop are die hard scooterists with decades of experience they're willing to share. I learned more hanging out around the shop than years of reading forums.

They'll be sorely missed but I'm incredibly grateful for Mike and the current NoHo crew as well as done who worked there in the past. The shop was instrumental in the growth of the LA Scooter Group and connecting me with Mike and others I'm glad to now have as friends.

It's always really sad to hear about a reputable business closing it's doors. I hope this all becomes a stepping stone for you and everyone involved.

I will always remember the Do-Dah Parade and throwing tortillas. Thank you Mike & crew for all that you have done for the scooter community.

Now I need to frame my NoPets T-shirt.

Why is it always the good guys?

I'd rather see a bad businessman/prick shutter his shop than have to endure this parade of classy, caring friends of the scooter community closing their doors.

What are we doing wrong?

I know the OP indicated that he wouldn't go into the reasons for his decision (which I respect). But if there are things that we, as a community, should have been doing which may have contributed to this result... please help us learn the lesson(s) before the next mentch has to close his doors.

Well, it's a sad day for scooting in LA and this is a crappy first post to make, but I can think of no better reason for a first post than to pay tribute to Mike and NoHo Scooters.

For so many years and for so many people, NoHo has been the heart and soul of LA's scooter scene - not to mention being the place that has kept many of our scooters on the road. It has always been a scooter shop like no other and most everyone who knows Mike or has done business with NoHo has countless endearing stories to tell because of it. The shop has been a labor of love and that love is evident in everything that Mike has done. I have never seen anyone go to greater lengths to help his customers and the scooter people he loves, often times at his own expense.

Literally from day one, Mike and NoHo Scooters played a huge part in my introduction to scooters and the scooting life. Ever since the day I took my first scooter into the shop for service, Mike and the gang at NoHo have answered my endless (overexcited, newbie) questions, taught me proper scooter care and maintenance, and even over time taught me how to service my own scooter. If this isn't above and beyond your average scooter shop, I don't know what is.

But more than just providing great service, Mike has been an integral part of the LA scooter community. My first group ride ever left from NoHo Scooters with Mike at the lead. Thanks to the fun I had that day, scooting (and my life) changed forever. I became so enamored that before long I too was leading the LA Scooter Group alongside Eric and Mike. 4 years and 28,000 miles later the ride that started that day is still going stronger than ever.

Mike, I thank you for everything. You and the gang at NoHo have always been so amazing to me. I have learned so much from you, Greasy, Jimmy and everyone else there. You have each come to my rescue more than once and I will never forget it. It goes without saying that I will miss the great scooter service and the convenience of having such a cool shop near by, but most of all I will miss being able to just stop by and hang out with you guys.

I wish you the greatest happiness and all the very best on the road ahead. NoHo Scooters will be dearly missed. But as for you, I hope I won't have the chance to miss you! Now that you will have some free time, let's get out and go for a few rides!

Cheers.

This is an awesome shop - I liked the assortment of accessories that are in the store. I may have to pop over next week and check out the helmets because damn it if you don't always have the coolest ones. I was just thinking about where I could go to take the LXV for some new tires, I think off to NoHo it will go.

I hope I can make it out for the holiday ride, I may have to find some way to wiggle out of going to that holiday recital for my sister's kids but this will be worth it to bid adieu to a fine shop.

Mike
You sound like a thoroughly nice chap and even though I'm over in the UK I'm sorry to hear you're closing
That's rubbish
Why do all the apparently good people on here have such rotten luck?
Best to you in the future
Kitty

Very sorry to hear that Mike.

I have been to the shop for the ride to Amerivespa 2009 and actually stayed in Mike's home while working for Genuine. Mike is a GREAT guy and his shop was a very cool place with a lot of character. You could tell he has a real passion for Scooters. Every time I would read about about one of the many LA scooter rides I would be extremely jealous as it always looked like you had a lot of fun. Best of luck to whatever is coming next in life. Even though I don't live in LA, I consider this a real loss to the scooter community.

Loved the building decor too.

There have been many bad shops that have closed-I'd wager more than good ones. We just don't hear lamentations about those on the forums. (As far as I'm concerned, "bad" shops are those that have some combination of the following: they care more about money than customers; they aren't invested in promoting scootering and supporting the scene; they don't provide quality service; they're dishonest; they're run by jerks/sharks/people you wouldn't want to spend any time with; they're not in the business for the long haul.)

There are still many bad shops open, but one reason is they just haven't been around long enough to fail. Many are opened with nothing but profits and cashing in on scooters in mind. This works for some, for a time, but isn't sustainable in the long run. I've heard a lot of reports recently of dealers turning away service jobs from owners simply because they didn't want to deal with them or because the owners didn't buy the scooters from their shop. That's the kind of thing that leads to a closed shop.

(I'm not implying in any way the NoHo failed as a shop, which isn't at all true in any sense. The ups and downs of this industry are tough on everyone.)

As for what we can do... Well, in I'm sure if we went out and got five people a month to buy new scooters at a shop we love, it wouldn't hurt!

But how many times have we seen posts from people trying to save a couple bucks on belts or oil filters by buying online? If people like their local shops, they should support them, even if it means spending a little more. This ultimately benefits people like us, who ride a lot and use our local shops often, and the community at large.

Well said. Thanks.

I'll second sticky, I'm sorry to hear of your closing and wish you the best. May we continue to see you on the roads both physical and cyber.

Wow this is terrible news, I am so deeply saddened to see a place so near and dear to my heart close. I discoverd No Ho scooters recently when I went to my first LASG ride where I met some GREAT scooter people like Eric, Justin Scootz, Liam, of course Mike, and so many others. Best of luck Mike on your future endeavors..............No Ho Scooters will be missed......

You are a class act and i'm so sorry about the shop closing. I'll second the comment about shops closing in high vespa sales areas. Very scarey indeed. I wish you all the success in whatever you do in the future.

I'm sorry to hear this -- NoHo was definitely a shop I wished wasn't so far away from home.

A class act, and they will be missed.

So sad... I've heard nothing but good things about NoHo... My regret is that I never had the opportunity to ride up there to visit... I wish you luck in your future endeavors.


Edit:cause I'm stupid.

NoHo is always there when needed for parts and advice, you will be missed. Thank you for all of your help and parts. Expect to meet me for one last time at your party.

Defendo007

So if everybody loved it so much why did it eventually fail ?

Bill X

From Mike Frankovich, owner of NoHo Scooters and all-around great guy More to the point of Bill's question, Eric's comments above are pretty insightful.

Agreed, but with all due respect Eric didn't run the shop.

I'm just interested in as to why if no one has a bad word to say about the store why it closed because usually good service breeds business but I am generalising.

Just asking, that's all.

pm is fine.

Bill xxx

pm's received.

Thank You.

Bill X