The rapid growth of Julian Cram’s Borders Cycles business has taken him into larger premises, for which he has even bigger plans.
The new shop, in Teviot Crescent, Hawick, has four times the floor space of his previous premises, providing additional room for displays, a wider range of stock and a dedicated workshop.
The move, completed partly thanks to £4,000 from the council’s Scottish Borders Business Fund, has also enabled Julian to take on a new member of staff.
He said: “I realised half-way through the second year that we were rapidly outgrowing our old premises so began looking for somewhere that would allow me to display more bikes and accessories, so that they weren’t crowded together, and provide a separate workshop space.
“Teviot Crescent fitted the bill perfectly. But moving to new premises is expensive, so being awarded the grant was extremely helpful as it helped pay for part of the refurbishment.”
Julian, chairman of Hawick Skate Park Community Group, is looking to turn the new outlet into a ‘destination’, offering a cafe and, eventually, an indoor skate park.
He said: “Now that the shop is open, the community group will start looking at the feasibility of turning the shop’s extensive yard into a 5,000sqft indoor skate park that will provide a safer all-weather alternative to the current skate park, adjacent to the leisure centre.
“However, there’s a long way to go before the skate park opens. We need to raise funds, draft plans and then go through the planning process before a brick can be laid.
“In the meantime, the cafe, which will be run by volunteers of the group, will help raise awareness and funds for the project, which we hope the local community will back.”
Helping Julian with his business has been Sandra Campbell, business adviser at Business Gateway. She said: “By providing locals with an outlet that stocked high quality bikes sold by someone who has a lifelong passion and in-depth knowledge of cycling, his venture has helped fill a gap in the market.”