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Source: The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.self storageSept. 09--When Lee Newhard opened up a modest bike shop called Great Divide in the Mesa Junction in 1984, he never dreamed he'd still be doing what he loves today."I never imagined it would blossom like it has, never," Newhard said. "I didn't have any backup plans, either. I was a glass glazer before I moved into the bike business. When I started this, I wanted it to be my last job and I've worked really hard at it and it has worked out."Newhard grew up an avid cyclist and outdoorsman."My dad had a hardware store when I was a kid where he had bikes, and I gravitated toward them," Newhard said. "I just really had a liking for bikes and took my first ride to Beulah when I was 14 when I had a 10-speed. When I had the chance to open up my own shop, I did. It's been kind of a lifelong love affair."Newhard's Great Divide bike shop sits in a prime location at the corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Fourth Street, but it had humbler beginnings.The business originated in 1984 in a smaller building in the Mesa Junction."When we first started, I was basically working solo. I had a few partners that helped out when they could, but it was mainly just me," Newhard said. "I had about 45 bikes in stock back then compared to the 150 to 200 I now have today. The volume has gone up quite dramatically" After four years at its Mesa Junction location, Great Divide moved to a new, slightly bigger building on Union Avenue in 1988.It wasn't until 1991 that Great Divide finally relocated to its current site at the corner of Santa Fe and Fourth.With the move, business really picked up, according to Newhard."We got to the point where we needed more room and a bigger building and this building was available, so we bought it," Newhard said. "It's in a much better location than our previous buildings and has ample amounts of storage room for all of our products."The building features a spacious main level and basement totalling 12,000 square feet.Besides the prime location, Newhard credits the uptick in business to a number of different factors."For one thing, biking has gotten more popular lately and you're seeing more and more people getting into it," he said. "Also, over the years we've brought people in and they've done a great job and have really helped us out."One of the people who was brought in was Kevin Perri.Perri began working at Great Divide in 1995 and in recent years has bought in as part-owner of the business."I grew up in Pueblo just like Lee (Newhard) and loved bikes growing up," Perri said. "I wanted it to be something I did for a living."One thing Newhard said Great Divide pridesfrom page 5A ____________________________________________ itself on more than anything is quality customer service."We try and be knowledgeable about the products we sell," Newhard said. "Lots of people need help with what they need. And stuff like learning h迷你倉w to fix a flat tire is important and we offer that. Return of service and trying to get customers to come back and tell their friends about us is also important. Word of mouth is huge for us and is our best bet for attracting new customers."Great Divide offers a number of services to customers such as free adjustments and tuneups after 90 days following the purchase of their bike."We make sure they're happy and follow through," Newhard said.Newhard and Perri both agree that their favorite part of the job is getting to interact with customers, learning their stories and helping them out."We get people in here who weren't doing any riding and were a little overweight and got themselves very fit riding a bike," Newhard said."One customer we had was overweight, came in here and bought a bike, and he became a competitive racer over time.Cycling is a low-impact way to get exercise without ruining your knees."Perri enjoys meeting people doing the Trans-America Trail, a 3,000mile bike route that begins in Virginia and stops in Oregon. The midpoint and biggest city on the route is Pueblo and many stop in at Great Divide for repairs or to get new parts for their bikes."You meet a lot of interesting people from all over the world from that," Perri said. "They travel that route from east to west and it's a pretty far distance from here to the next stop, so you'll see some people limping in here and sometimes we save their day and that's awesome.It's hard to filter out one story in particular but there's been some interesting times."While the TransAmerica Trail brings in some business, local business makes up the vast majority of Great Divide's customer base.Newhard said it's been a joy dealing with the community over the years."It is fun to see people come in as they grow and graduate up to more and more advanced bikes," Newhard said. "This kid Tyler Banks used to come in with his dad to get bikes when he was 5 or 6 years old and he eventually became an employee here with us.He would come in with his dad at no more than 4-feet tall as a kid and he was buying bikes with us when he got to 6-feet, 6-inches tall."Newhard said his employees have been a big part of the shop's success.Great Divide employs 12 workers during peak season, which runs from March through September.During non-peak season, Great Divide staffs six employees."They are all great, hard-working and very helpful," Newhard said.During non-peak season, employees are hard at work fixing up bikes that have been donated to Great Divide so they can, in turn, donate them to charities.Last year Great Divide donated about 40 bikes to local charities, according to Newhard."It's just a good way to give back," Newhard said.ryans@chieftain.comCopyright: ___ (c)2013 The Pueblo Chieftain (Pueblo, Colo.) 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