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@motovista avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
GT 200
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Location: Main Street, Watts
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@motovista avatar
GT 200
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Location: Main Street, Watts
UTC quote
It might seem like we've been a little slow getting things out over the last week. We purchased a building in December, and I expected to be moved and up and running within three days. My optimism proved to be unfounded. We spent a total of ten days moving, setting up and putting everything where it is supposed to be, so we could fill orders that had accumulated. We are pretty much caught up now.
Our new building was built in 1940, and has served as a VFW hall, and for the last 20 years, was a Thrift Store. The owner of the Thrift Store had passed away in September, and when we got it, all the thrift store merchandise was still there. A week before Christmas, I put ads on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, then opened the doors and gave everything away. It took two Saturdays of free shopping to get the Thrift Store inventory down to where it fit into a dumpster. Early in January, we started renovations, which to me meant painting the floor, changing the filter in the furnace, and putting up pegboards. Even with the extensive renovations (two coats of paint on the floor), we will break even in less than two years.
Here are a couple of photos of the interior when we took over the building.
I will have after photos after we finally get it set up.
I plan on having some sort of Grand Opening party later, when the weather is better, maybe a weekend of scooter rides in the Ozarks.
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
⚠️ Last edited by Motovista on UTC; edited 1 time
@shebalba avatar
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Molto Verboso
2009 GTS250, Ducati Monster M900, KTM 390 Adventure, Honda CR125
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Molto Verboso
@shebalba avatar
2009 GTS250, Ducati Monster M900, KTM 390 Adventure, Honda CR125
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UTC quote
How much you want for that old Camel smokes tin?

Congrats on the new space. Would totally try to make the trip to OK for a grand opening party.
@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
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Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
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UTC quote
Buy a belt and rollers and get a free tea set
@shebalba avatar
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Molto Verboso
2009 GTS250, Ducati Monster M900, KTM 390 Adventure, Honda CR125
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Molto Verboso
@shebalba avatar
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UTC quote
Surprised the MV 'freecycle' thread wasn't blowing up with rolling pins and ornate dishes with ships on them.
@pigletpilot avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
Gina, 1965 Vespa 180SS, Bella,1968 Vespa 150 Super, Mia, 2017 Vespa Primavera 70th Anniversary 150ie, Gabriella, 2017 GTS300 ABS
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Location: Hamilton/Kirikiriroa, NZ
 
Molto Verboso
@pigletpilot avatar
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UTC quote
Congratulations on the move - always harder than we envisage. Probably won't be able to attend the Grand Opening though. ROFL emoticon
@jess avatar
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Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
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Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
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UTC quote
Congrats!

Also, it occurs to me that I have no idea where Scooterpartsco used to be headquartered.
@wbdvt avatar
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Molto Verboso
'16 Sprint S 150, 2 x '06 GTS 250, '12 GTS 300, '74 Vespa 150 Super
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Molto Verboso
@wbdvt avatar
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UTC quote
Congratulations on your move! Do you have pics of your warehouse now as set up for business?
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
Joined: UTC
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Location: Tega Cay, SC
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
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UTC quote
So you moved west one state over? Congrats on the move, I can't imagine how hard it was (and will be to set up).Kudos!
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
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UTC quote
jess wrote:
Congrats!

Also, it occurs to me that I have no idea where Scooterpartsco used to be headquartered.
S.C. comes to mind? Could be wrong...

Anyway, congrats on the move. Hope it works out well.

You may have a couple of years of people showing up for thrifting tough...
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
Joined: UTC
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Location: Tega Cay, SC
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
Joined: UTC
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Location: Tega Cay, SC
UTC quote
That was a while ago. He has been based in Arkansas for some time.
@az_slynch avatar
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Molto Verboso
'07 GTS250, '07 LX150, '81 P200E, '78 P200E, '74 VBC1, '64 V90 and 3 Ciaos
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Location: Tucson, AZ
 
Molto Verboso
@az_slynch avatar
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UTC quote
fledermaus wrote:
S.C. comes to mind? Could be wrong...

Anyway, congrats on the move. Hope it works out well.

You may have a couple of years of people showing up for thrifting tough...
I think I remember seeing an article about Scooter Parts Co in SC. Can't remember if it was in Scoot! Magazine or if it was in a newspaper article, though.
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
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Location: Tega Cay, SC
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
Joined: UTC
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Location: Tega Cay, SC
UTC quote
Charlestown, SC - I think.
@az_slynch avatar
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Molto Verboso
'07 GTS250, '07 LX150, '81 P200E, '78 P200E, '74 VBC1, '64 V90 and 3 Ciaos
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Molto Verboso
@az_slynch avatar
'07 GTS250, '07 LX150, '81 P200E, '78 P200E, '74 VBC1, '64 V90 and 3 Ciaos
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UTC quote
jess wrote:
Congrats!

Also, it occurs to me that I have no idea where Scooterpartsco used to be headquartered.
Fayetteville/Bensonville area. Airport code is XNA (Northwest Arkansas Regional). Home to WalMart. I remember that because whenever an Avro RJ had a mechanical issue, they'd swipe our damn plane. Razz emoticon
OP
@motovista avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GT 200
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Location: Main Street, Watts
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@motovista avatar
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UTC quote
We were in Farmington, AR, just west of Fayetteville.
I fell into a deal with a Pizza restaurant that had closed down their arcade section and gave me a good deal to sublease the space. It was never meant to be permanent, but 4 years later, and we were still there.
I had planned to purchase a building for years, and had leased a 5600 square foot space for a couple of years, while trying to negotiate a build out. I still have it, and it's where I keep my bikes, for now. My plan is to put a 20 foot conex box on the pad behind the new space and use that as my garage and storage for the bikes.

There are a lot of small towns that have basically vacant downtown areas, and they are perfect locations for online businesses that don't rely on walk-in traffic. The biggest issue I found with most of them was that by the time a building usually gets onto the market, the copper wiring has been stripped out and it needs a roof, windows, walls, plumbing, or all four. This was one of the few that was basically move in ready that I have seen.

This location is about 8 minutes further drive from home than the Farmington, AR location.
@gbaby avatar
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Molto Verboso
Modern Primavera (not pictured); Moto Guzzi V-85 TT
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Molto Verboso
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UTC quote
I know exactly what the place in the "before" pictures smells like just from seeing all that stuff. Good luck with everything; sounds like fun, even the hard parts.
@jess avatar
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Petty Tyrant
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Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
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UTC quote
Motovista wrote:
There are a lot of small towns that have basically vacant downtown areas, and they are perfect locations for online businesses that don't rely on walk-in traffic. The biggest issue I found with most of them was that by the time a building usually gets onto the market, the copper wiring has been stripped out and it needs a roof, windows, walls, plumbing, or all four. This was one of the few that was basically move in ready that I have seen.
I just took a walking tour through Watts via Google Street View.

I think you're missing a golden opportunity here:
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@juan_orhea avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
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Molto Verboso
@juan_orhea avatar
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
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UTC quote
When I think of Scooterpartsco's warehouse I imagine something akin to the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the Army guy is wheeling the crate containing the Ark down an aisle of an impossibly large warehouse filled to the gills with random stuff.

I guess it isn't really like that.
OP
@motovista avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
GT 200
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Location: Main Street, Watts
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@motovista avatar
GT 200
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Location: Main Street, Watts
UTC quote
jess wrote:
I just took a walking tour through Watts via Google Street View.

I think you're missing a golden opportunity here:
That's allegedly going to be a dispensary.
@greasy125 avatar
UTC

Sergeant at Arms
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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Location: The state of insanity, SoCal
 
Sergeant at Arms
@greasy125 avatar
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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Location: The state of insanity, SoCal
UTC quote
Motovista wrote:
That's allegedly going to be a dispensary.
what a shame, that's be great for a shop. high windows to let in the light but work area obscured from view.

and you could put in a security door with a speak easy slide and be all:

*shhkkk* nobody sees the wizard! nobody, no how! *shhkk*
@znomit avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
@znomit avatar
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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UTC quote
Motovista wrote:
I fell into a deal with a Pizza restaurant that had closed down their arcade section and gave me a good deal to sublease the space. It was never meant to be permanent, but 4 years later, and we were still there.
That sounds like a very poor decision.
How much weight did you put on in those 4 years?
@baba12 avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2018 Vespa 300 GTS Touring
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Location: NYC
 
Molto Verboso
@baba12 avatar
2018 Vespa 300 GTS Touring
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Location: NYC
UTC quote
Congrats.
Now that you can have high speed broadband service pretty much anywhere and I am guessing OK has cheap enough electricity rates your online business should thrive and have low operating costs. Maybe you shall become the S.i.P. of North America...
@znomit avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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Posts: 10792
Location: Hermit Kingdom
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@znomit avatar
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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UTC quote
baba12 wrote:
Maybe you shall become the S.i.P. of North America...
Surely SIP aspire to be the scooterpartsco of Europe?
@baba12 avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2018 Vespa 300 GTS Touring
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1360
Location: NYC
 
Molto Verboso
@baba12 avatar
2018 Vespa 300 GTS Touring
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1360
Location: NYC
UTC quote
znomit wrote:
Surely SIP aspire to be the scooterpartsco of Europe?
S.i.P. is also located in middle of Germany somewhere. I think they consider themselves as one of the largest scooter parts supplier in the world...
@dooglas avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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Location: Oregon City, OR
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@dooglas avatar
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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Location: Oregon City, OR
UTC quote
baba12 wrote:
S.i.P. is also located in middle of Germany somewhere.
Hey now, S.I.P. is in Bavaria a bit West of Munich and about 40 miles from the Austrian border.
⚠️ Last edited by Dooglas on UTC; edited 1 time
@znomit avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
Joined: UTC
Posts: 10792
Location: Hermit Kingdom
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@znomit avatar
LX190 Friday afternoon special, [s]Primavera[/s], S50, too many pushbikes
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Posts: 10792
Location: Hermit Kingdom
UTC quote
Dooglas wrote:
Hey now, S.I.P. is in Bavaria a bit West of Munich and about 30 miles from the Swiss border.
A Bavarian colleague described it as "close to Germany".
@dooglas avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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Posts: 13505
Location: Oregon City, OR
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@dooglas avatar
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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UTC quote
Looks like I am a little weak on the Austrian Alps versus the Swiss Alps.
@jackp avatar
UTC

Member
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 47
Location: Syracuse
 
Member
@jackp avatar
Vespa GTS 300
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UTC quote
Wow small world. I went to JBU in northwest Ark. and then was a phys.ed teacher and coach at Moseley, only a few short miles from Watts.
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