https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/general/news/chain-reaction-cycles-closes-flagship-store
> Chain Reaction Cycles’ flagship store in Belfast will close next month as Wiggle CRC’s financial woes continue.
> After opening its doors in March 2012, the shop acted as the online retailer’s main in-person store in the UK and Ireland. However, it will now pull down its shutters for a final time in February following on from the company entering administration at the end of 2023.
> The announcement, which is likely to spell more job losses, was announced on the Belfast branch’s Facebook page on Wednesday morning.
> In a statement, senior store manager Dave Astin wrote: “We regret to inform you that our retail store located on Boucher Road, Belfast, will be closing its doors next month.
> “We sincerely appreciate the support from all our customers over the past 12 years. We will continue to serve all our customers through our online store, chainreactioncycles.com, where you can shop our full range and receive support, warranty, and aftercare services from our customer service team.”
> With the company keen to salvage any extra cash while they can, Astin added: “With the store closing soon, we are offering some incredible deals as we sell through our remaining stock. Please feel free to visit us in the coming weeks.”
> Chain Reaction Cycles was founded in 1984 out of a small bike shop, Ballynure Cycles, named after the small Northern Ireland village where it was based.
> After merging with Wiggle in 2016, the cycling retailer has struggled in recent years, with both the pandemic and Brexit squeezing its finances. The biggest blow came last October when Wiggle Chain Reaction Cycles entered administration.
> In a recent report, it was revealed that Wiggle CRC owed its creditors over £26 million when it filed for administration.
by vaska00762
12 comments
Their truly abysmal website has to have been at least part of their struggle to remain afloat. If I can find the same products more easily elsewhere I’m buying them elsewhere.
Talk about a Chain Reaction.
Chain Reaction were great until they got involved with Wiggle, after that, they went to Wiggle standards of service which could be quite crap at times.
On yer bike
It went downhill as soon as they merged with Wiggle. The usual story, big corporate greed ruins perfectly good business.
I very nearly bought a £2000 bike out of that shop last month, only someone told me about their troubles.
Dodged the proverbial bullet as they say!
Really sad about this, used to love going into CRC for a nosey around and always ended up buying something from there
Balls!
Very sad news. It was a good shop. Bound to have been partially due to Brexit though. A lot of their business was international.
Wiggle took one of our best local success stories and completely fucked it. Was never the same after that takeover. Classic English eh?
😉 safety wink
great news, they were shite to work for when they were in doagh
The whole bicycle industry is in trouble, overstocked warehouses and massive surplus stock, the amount of stuff made during the covid boom has weighed all these companies down. There is going to be massive sales as they clear this stock.