After over 17 years of business on Main Street, the owners of the Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop are saying a bittersweet goodbye.
Fred van den Bulk and his wife Caroline, who came to Huntsville from Holland back in 1998, are preparing for a new chapter in their lives. Prior to his arrival in Canada, he was running a bike store for his boss and he happened upon an advertisement for a bicycle retail store in Huntsville. “We saw it and acted on it and the rest is history,” he laughs.
Although they don’t exactly know yet what the future holds for them, the couple is looking forward to having some free time and perhaps even seeing a bit more of the world.
“Of course, it’s bittersweet,” said van den Bulk, 51. “It’s been my baby. We really want to see more of Canada. We haven’t been out east yet. We would love to travel… that’s kind of the reason why we’re doing this. We’re both healthy and active, so let’s play a little bit more.”
Over the years, van den Bulk and his wife have supported many local charity events. They also organized impressive bike demonstrations every year during Huntsville’s annual Firefly Festival. Caroline is well-known in the community as a trainer/coach and has competed in mountain bike racing on both national and world levels. She is also a local volunteer firefighter and competed in this year’s Ironman Triathlon.
You don’t want to step out of business when it’s down. You want to step out at the highest point, which, for us, is now.
Van den Bulk stated business has steadily increased since he took over the Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop in 1998. He’s noticed people are generally becoming more active and are eager to find new outdoor sports to do.
“With the business, I think we came at the right time,” he said. “You don’t want to step out of business when it’s down. You want to step out at the highest point, which, for us, is now.”
Van den Bulk concluded by saying the success of the Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop could not have been possible without strong support from the community. Many of his customers have been with him since the start.
“A big thanks to everyone for the great years.”
The happy couple lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Selling their business will give them more time to do the things they love together.
The new owners, Matt Todd and Kristi MacDonald, live in Huntsville and already own and operate The Bike Shop in Gravenhurst. Todd was one of van den Bulks first employees at the Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop and they have maintained a close relationship ever since.
“We’ll be making some changes and we’re looking forward to people coming in and seeing new and familiar faces,” said Todd. “Kristi and I are both excited.”
The van den Bulks will be sticking around the store for a while to ensure a smooth transition.
The Van den Bulk family has been a wonderful addition to Main St. and great supporters of the community. I wish them well in their ‘next step’ and congratulate the new owners as well!