HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS (OR WHERE THE BIKES ARE) The throw-back photos you’ll find in the Company History section at ottawagoodtime.com should only be viewed while listening to ACDC on an old tape deck. But as “boss” as they are, remember, Ottawa Goodtime Centre has moved on from feathered hair, tight-fitting tennis shoes, and the quintessentially ‘80s strip mall location on Bank Street. “Unquestionably, the new location gave us more visibility. We also extended our hours when we moved in 2002 and saw sales jump by 54% in the first year. The extra space not only allowed us to profile brands like BMW that we picked up after 2002, but also to do a much better job with used bikes. We sell a lot of used bikes every year and that’s really helped us realize the potential of our Accessories Department. We’re expanding again now and we already have one of the largest accessory departments in Canada – 8,000 square feet strictly dedicated to accessories,” Jason explained. “At any given time, we probably have about 85 bikes in the showroom,” he continued. “It’s a little over 10,000 square feet. We dedicate the space by brand – so, a space for BMW, Kawasaki, Triumph, like that – and it’s worked out well. Our used bikes are all kept indoors, as well. The
think I always knew that this business was my future. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been working here – probably from about the age of 10. I started off by cleaning around the dealership or washing bikes for five dollars, an allowance type of thing. Most of it went back intomy bikes. Thenwhen I got into my teen years, I would head to the dealership with my dad for the day every Saturday – it was partly, I think, to give my mom a break from me,” he laughed. “By high school, I was working nearly 40 hours a week. Eventually, I worked my way through every department from sales, to service, to parts and accessories. I went to university to broaden my horizons, I suppose, but I always felt at home here. After my final exam, I was back working full-time.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2017
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