Cycle Barn
Where It All Comes Down to People
 With more than 35 years of motorcycle retailing under his
belt, Cycle Barn owner Jim Boltz sums up his business philosophy in one line -
"It all comes down to people" he states during a lengthy interview
session last January.
Working with people is something that Boltz knows and does
very well. Whether he's managing a staff of 50 plus employees, making
sure his customers get the best sales and service Cycle Barn can provide, or
negotiating with a manufacturer for a new franchise, Boltz' people skills shine
all around, and it shows by his customers' satisfaction and his bottom line
revenues.
Boltz got the motorcycle bug while stationed in Northern
Japan in the mid 60's. He returned home in 1967 and went to work at
University Honda as the Parts Manager, working alongside Pete Wicken, who was
University's Sales manger at the time.
After two years he went back to school and got his
Business Degree in Accounting from the University of Washington.
"Those were tough years since there was little time to ride with school
being a priority," he says. So it makes sense that when he graduated
in 1971 he re-entered the world of motorcycling, only this time he struck a deal
with Kawasaki for his own dealership and opened Cycle Barn in February of 1972
in a small barn-like building on Highway 99 in Lynnwood.
With three employees, himself and his wife, Jeanette, he
added Maico and Husquavarna, but big changes lay ahead when he moved the store a
few blocks up the street into what was then considered an extremely large
showroom. With the new space he approached Harley Davidson and was granted
a dealership at a time when HD was at the peak of their slump, shall we
say. "At that time I think they wanted me to help them sell off all
the Italian two strokes that had performed so poorly for them," but little
did they know that Boltz would turn out to be a strong dealer for them when they
turned the company around.
In 1984 Boltz struck again when he bought out Lynnwood Honda's motorcycle franchise and moved it into his store.
As a matter of fact Boltz has added at least a few new
lines each decade and in 1995 he picked up a franchise for Triumph after
assisting them with setting up dealers in the US.
 Busting at the seams, Boltz broke ground behind his store
for a 35,000 square foot store and moved his lines into the new showroom in
January of 1999. The old store was converted to a used showroom and has a
Harley-Davidson outlet room on the top floor.
 To walk into Cycle Barn is like walking into the Eddie
Bauer of motorcycling store. It's more than just square footage and bikes
filling the space. At Cycle Barn there's thought that has gone into the
interior design from the Sandwich and Coffee Bar right down to the buffed linoleum
walkways that take you past hundreds of floored bikes on carpeting. Don't
miss the water tower at the center of the store with the Harley Davidson train
chugging around it's perimeter. And beyond all the glitz and rustic
glamour there's a knowledgeable sales staff ready to help you out.
 So is one dealership enough for Boltz? "We'll
be opening a Honda/Yamaha store at Smokey Point just north of Marysville later
this year," he says with enthusiasm. Along with the new store Boltz
needs another 35 employees for the new venture and is looking at taking the
staff at Lynnwood Cycle Barn up another 25 people, "So if you know anyone
qualified please pass the word on," he says.
Rather than spend hours figuring out how to execute
regular promotions, Boltz' stance is to, "Spend your time assisting your
customer and you won't need too many promotions." However, Cycle Barn
is notorious for one major event they do each year and that's 'Ladies Night'
which is held in the fourth quarter. 'Women only' are invited to come into
the store, browse the bikes, enjoy wine, champagne and hors 'de ouvres, and
shop. "It's the one time the guys here volunteer to work," he
jokes.
Boltz has a long list of other enterprises he's involved
with from bringing the URAL into the US from Russia a few years back with Tom
Lynott, to go carts and a paint shop startup. But his latest interest is
to become involved with RfH, Riders for Health, a British organization that
supplies medicine and the motorcycles needed to get it there into regions of
Central Africa. He is presently working together with his staff and WMRRA
to find a way to launch fund raising efforts in the US for this cause.
Over and over, it becomes evident that whether he's
selling a bike, or helping out RfH, it does all come down to people. Boltz
is the kind of man that after you spend three hours with him you realize there
are traits he has that you'd like to carry with you throughout your own life.
Tom Mehren/Winter 00
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