BIGFOOT BUSINESS
Area bike rental and tour company now open
SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y. » A new business has opened up, one that many are hopeful will bring new tourism to town.
BigFoot Bike Rentals and Tours recently had its ribbon cutting. Members of the Saratoga County Chamber came to show their support and congratulate owners Vince Vacirca and Chris Payant on their second business.
Vacirca and Payant currently own and operate Tech Monkeys, their computer support business. BigFoot Bike Tours and Rentals will operate out of the same location.
“We had the space, and wanted to do more,” Vacirca said. “I think it’s going to be a nice addition to the town.”
As the name suggests, BigFoot Bike Rentals and Tours offers bicycle and accessory rentals for rides in the parks and on the trails in town, as well as guided tours of Schuylerville’s historic locations.
“People can get a full history lesson while on a bike ride,” Payant said.
The idea for a bike rental company grew out of Payant’s own love for biking and being outdoors.
“We started going to local business meetings, and it seemed like they were looking for ways to bring people into Schuylerville,” he said.
The idea to name the company BigFoot came from Payant’s neighbors who own an antique business. One day he saw a large Big Foot display they had put outside, and Payant realized it would fit the company on multiple levels. There’s an interest in the Big Foot phenomenon in the Capital Region, an image of a “big foot” on a bike pedal is one that’s easy to remember, and it keeps with the primate theme of Tech Monkeys.
One of the highlights of BigFoot’s rentals is their GoPro feature. You can rent a helmet with a GoPro cam
era attached, and it will record your entire bike ride or tour. When you return the equipment, you can take home your video footage as a unique souvenir.
Payant and Vacirca are optimistic that their new business will increase tourism in Schuylerville. They’re hoping to make a business connection with Camp Rockaway, whose new “glamping” facility opens in town at the end of the month. Biking and camping are two things that easily go hand in hand.
“We want to bring tourism back to this town,” Vacirca said. “Schuylerville is right on the water, it’s absolutely gorgeous and people need to see it.”
“This is exciting,” Saratoga County Chamber president Todd Shimkus said. “It’s right near the parks and the historic national trail. Schuylerville is becoming a family destination, and having bike rentals available is a great amenity to the town.”
At the ribbon cutting for BigFoot Bike Rentals and Tours, Vacirca and Payant were given citations from the Chamber and a representative for Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. A raffle drawing was held, and attendees were invited to a cookout lunch to celebrate the new business.
BigFoot Bike Tours is located at 122 Broad St., #3. They are open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, email info@bigfootbikerentals.com or call (518) 9342588.
Their website, www.bigfootbikerentals.com, is currently under construction but has some basic information available.