Changing shop

It’s not just scooterists that have adapted to changes within the scene over time. The shops and dealers who cater for their needs have also had to constantly remodel the way that their businesses work.

Anytime a picture is posted of an old scooter shop or dealer it creates great interest, with enthusiasts studying every detail both inside and out. Back in the 1950s and 60s dealers had it fairly easy: they’d take on a concession from the manufacturer and stock the shop full of scooters. Following closely would be a selection of spares, accessories and advertising literature. Even if a dealer couldn’t afford to carry huge amounts of stock a quick phone call to order an item from the importers wouldn’t be a problem; even rarely used parts would be available in an instant. When it came to servicing and repairs, specialist tools would be made available from the factory and roving mechanics would provide specialist training so that the shop could carry out any work needed.

Of course some investment was required by the shop’s owner, putting them at risk financially but the customer base was huge, numbering in the millions at the peak of scooter sales. The real stress of the job was making sure enough machines were sold to pay the running costs and make a living, while at the same time keeping up with demands from importers to constantly increase sales. This was of course a time of huge competition, not only from rival scooter manufacturers but also a wide range of motorcycle companies.

As the 1970s dawned the industry changed and turned into a contest where only the fittest survived. While some shops transferred allegiance to the Japanese manufacturers many others simply folded. As the decade wore on and scootering became an underground movement, the specialist scooter shop almost disappeared. As the emphasis had changed from mass commuting to customising and tuning, many dealers gave up their high street stores to work from home in sheds or small garages. Thankfully help came in the form of a major film and many shops were rescued in the nick of time thanks to a revival of Mod fashion that brought in a huge influx of new owners.

Those dealers who had just about been making ends meet suddenly found themselves dealing with a huge injection of new customers. Once again scootering became a worthwhile business. It was a far cry from days gone by with the only real chance of a dealership coming from Piaggio. However in this new era a main dealer franchise wasn’t always required. If you were a good tuner, painter or fabricator the work seemed endless. Once again, the market became flooded and as the 1980s scene died out, there was another thinning-out in the number of scooter shops.

As it always does the scooter scene reinvents and invigorates itself and just when it all seemed to be over another opportunity for shops to thrive presented itself. This time salvation came in the form of computers. A dealer no longer required a huge shop front and expensive premises, just a reliable stock of spares and a functioning website. When modern dyno machines became affordable specialist centres emerged and once again the way that scooter shops did businesses was reinvented.

There’s no doubt there are fewer walk-in shops these days and while the majority carry out work, some concentrate on mainly selling spares. It’s the latter that posed most challenges, certainly with Lambrettas. As supplies dried up it became almost impossible for shops to maintain a regular supply of spare parts. To address this shortfall dealers began manufacturing their own components, and by selling them on to other dealers it made production costeffective. Once again it’s possible to obtain even the most unusual part with ease; the industry has gone full circle but this time innovation has been fuelled by individuals rather than huge companies.

What this all shows is that over time shops, businesses and dealers that are scooter-based have had to adapt to change far more than the owners of scooters themselves. The next question is: how will things change in the future? As dealers approach retirement age it’s inevitable that some will choose to call it a day. While they may do so, others will adapt to whatever the market demands. Along the way they’ll bring in new people who’ll work out a way of making financially viable businesses.

While we may look back at those old photos with fondness, in truth few of those shops would survive in today’s market. The only way for shops to remain profitable is by evolving and as the past clearly illustrates, that’s something scooter shops are particularly good at.

“...the industry has gone full circle but this time innovation has been fuelled by individuals rather than huge companies.”