LAKE WORTH, Fla. — While non-essential businesses are closed or either barely operating, during the COVID-19 pandemic one bike shop in Lake Worth Beach said business is booming.
Business is so good the owner said their inventory on certain bikes is nearly gone.
"When it first started, we thought we lost our rental season which is a big part of our game that was end of February. Beginning of March that's when the sales started,"Mike Ogonowski, the owner of Relentless Bicycles said.
Ogonowski said that during the COVID-19 pandemic people started bringing in their bikes for repair.
"And then people started buying bikes, and buying bikes and buying bikes," he said.
According to Ogonowski, people are buying cruisers and hybrids, the sub- $500 range bikes, and his inventory and suppliers are nearly depleted now when sales are two to three times better than they were last year, as far as volume of bicycles.
Ogonowski said he is currently working 12 to13-hour days. Since bike sales are happening now, he is sure summer sales will slow down.
Jude and his dad Alfredo Lescaille said they're not surprised bike shops are booming.
"Because there's nowhere to go, nothing to do than getting on your bicycle and take a ride," Lescaille said.
Ogonowski said he's thankful and will ride this wave until sales slow down.
"I do think overall the bike industry will do well from this," he added.