St. Pete Gets New Trek Bicycle Shop

Get ready, 4th Street. There's a new cycle shop in town. And it's not just any cycle shop. It's one of only 80 in the country.

Trek Bicycle Shop of St. Petersburg is opening at 3169 4th Street N., and according to owner Rick Fidanzato, it's a real honor to own a Trek shop. "They're not franchised but there is a lot of prestige in owning a Trek corporation shop. I had to  go through the whole interview process, credit review, budget and business plan. It was pretty intense."

Fidanzato also owns ABC Bicycles at 6633 Central Ave. He says it's always been his goal to own two stores in St. Pete. "Eventually I wanted to have two stores since this is a very west-side; east-side kind of town. Plus ABC has been around for 50 years and I bought that business from the original owner. I've kind of always wanted to start my own from scratch."

A sense of community and inclusion is central to Fidanzato's business vision. "The main people who ride bicycles aren't the avid racers as much as those who ride once a week with their kids. We want to service everybody and not to alienate anyone. People view 'cyclists' as an elite group but we're all bicycle riders."
 
Fidanzato is encouraged by the strides St. Petersburg has made toward alternative and public transportation. "Only 1 percent of trips are made by bike, and 60 percent are within 2 miles of your home," says Fidanzato.  "It's just a matter of changing your habits. And it translates to supporting your neighborhood businesses. You discover what's in your own backyard."

Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Source: Rick Fidanzato, Trek Bicycle Shop of St. Petersburg