WICHITA, Kansas – A Wichita bike store has been selling them for years and it all happened by chance.
Every business begins differently. Most thriving enterprises are well thought out. However, a very few successful businesses are built from chance opportunities.In 1973, a conversation on an airplane set the wheels in motion for the Bicycle X-Change.“And the one gentleman said, "I have a truckload of bicycles that I don't know what to do with,’ the guy backed out of,” said Michael Scanga, owner of the Bicycle X-Change. “And then they talked, and came back and my father said, "you boys are in the bike business.’”Ralch, Joe Jr. and Mike Scanga raced to set up shop. Joe Sr. had a storefront on Central, so they rolled the new, high-end bikes in and the cash register began to ring. Dad was in marketing, so he turned to newspaper.“The other bike shops at that time would go, 'oh my God, what's this?’” said Scanga. “’These guys just opened up overnight and they're doing full page ads,’ we were selling tons and tons of bicycles.”Bicycle technology has changed dramatically over the years. The name of the game is keeping it light. Carbon fibers, exotic aluminums, and titanium have made the bikes weigh as little as 15 pounds. But the principal behind cycling is still the same -- it’s human powered, it's green and it's a heck of a lot of fun.Two of the brothers have moved on to other adventures, but Mike has shifted gears and his three sons are learning the business to carry the torch forward.“It’s going to be passed on to the family, it's gonna stay in the family,” he said. Mike continues to advertise, but most of his business is created from activities that they would do anyway.Tremendous goodwill is created through race team and event sponsorship. And in the late 70’s, his father began a tradition of rebuilding and donating bikes to deserving kids at Christmastime.“And we've given out, gosh, since we started, thousands of bicycles,” Mike said.Bikes are sold everywhere, but quality, local ownership and service are what it takes to keep a good business ahead of the pack.
The Bicycle X-Change has two locations in Wichita. Its west location is at 908 W. Douglas and the east is located at 1516 E. Central.
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