After decades of adventure, Bradenton fixture Ringling Bicycles to close

Ringling Bicycles, the landmark bike shop located at 3606 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, has dealt in the hardware and know-how of a beloved hobby for decades.

It’s also been the launch point for countless adventures. The shop has enabled fun for riders of all ages and skill levels, from the seasoned cyclist headed out on a 40-mile group ride to the toddler timidly pressing shoe to pedal for the first time on the showroom floor.

Now the business is unexpectedly closing.

A shortage of affordable bike inventory due to COVID-19 and the abrupt sale of the property on which the shop is located was a perfect storm that made owners Dave and Julie Holt decide on an early retirement.

“There has been a tremendous influx of sales at bicycle shops,” Dave Holt said. “We were just selling and selling and selling.”

But when the time came to restock, the Holts could not reach the new property owners to determine when they had to move out and plan accordingly.

“Nobody told us who was buying this place,” Dave said. “We wanted to know when we had to vacate to try to set our inventory. And they would not notify us.”

The Holts were eventually offered the option to rent the space until August, but by that time bicycle manufacturers were out of stock because of the recent surge in sales.

“We were going to have to last the whole summer without money coming in,” Holt said. “We just said, ‘We’re closing.’”

The shop’s last day in operation will be June 20. In the meantime, the remaining inventory has been marked down and bike repairs have been halted.

“We’re kind of in shock ‘cause it was very late notice,” Julie Holt said. “So we’re still catching up to the news.”

However, Dave Holt says there are lots of fond memories to look back on.

Ringling Bicycles opened in Sarasota in 1963 and moved to Bradenton in 1980. Dave Holt took over the business in 1989, and has specialized as a bicycle fitter helping people get the most comfort possible out of their bikes.

“Taking care of people’s problems on the bike, getting their positions right and making it so that they can enjoy the ride,” Dave said some of his favorite parts of the job have been. “It was way more than a business for us. It was our chosen sport, and it was just great fun helping people.”

He said it was particularly rewarding to help those with injuries or illness get set up on a bike.

“For somebody that has some sort of handicap, it is a huge thing for their personal freedom,” Dave said. “It really makes people feel better about themselves.”

Dave said there is a slim chance they may look for a new shop space when the bike industry returns to normal, but don’t count on it.

As the news broke of Ringling’s closure on Facebook, comments poured in from customers and community members.

“This breaks my heart as I’m sure does yours,” one commenter said. “Your shop and staff has been invaluable to me over the years.”

“Sad day, end of an era,” another said.

While the shop may be closing, the Holts will still be around in the cycling community, according to Dave.

“It’s been a lifestyle for us,” he said. “We’ll still be riding.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 4:30 PM.