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Environmentally-Friendly Shop Provides
New, Better Choices for Island Triathletes
8/11/2007 8:00:00 AM
Oahu's triathletes and active lifestyle participants rejoice today as much-anticipated Momentum MultiSport—the latest entry into the diverse field of bike and triathlon shops on Oahu--opens for business. According to founder Nguyen “Wen” Le, the market for active life-style products is large and growing. Le said, “The sport of triathlon, which combines swimming, biking and running into a single event, is growing in popularity throughout the United States and the world. It attracts both seasoned athletes from other sports, as well as beginning age-group participants who aim to improve their fitness and way of life. With a population of over 900,000, the Oahu market has tremendous potential to support multiple retailers of active life-style products ranging from bicycles and equipment to clothing and accessories.” There are several factors bolstering the growth of the active life-style market, such as the rising price of gasoline that may drive people to explore bicycles as an alternative means of transportation. The popularity of bicycling benefits from the growing green movement, and Momentum MultiSport aims to conduct business in an environmentally friendly manner. “All Momentum employees bike to work, and we use low-wattage light bulbs and environmentally-friendly products in each area of our operations--from shopping bags to cleaning supplies,” said Le. In addition to bicycles, Momentum provides a broad range of clothing and accessories by dedicating over 1,000 square feet of retail space to these products. Customers can see, touch and try-on an extensive inventory of products from all manufacturers. Customers can also browse through manufacturers’ catalogs for anything not already in stock. Momentum staff makes every effort to obtain items that customers place on their wish list. Kurt Chambers, Momentum’s merchandise manager and top local triathlete says, “We listen to our customers and attempt to carry every product they express interests in.” Momentum MultiSport also has a large department geared specifically toward women. “A significant number of women are participating in triathlon today, and they are the leaders in active lifestyle endeavors such as hiking and yoga as well as cycling, so we feel they deserve equal treatment and equal equipment,” said Le. Bike mechanic gurus, Tom Captis and Keith Nishimoto have also joined forces with Le to provide a superior level of service and maintenance on all types of bicycles, wheelchairs and virtually anything that runs on human-powered wheels. The key to success, according to the Momentum staff, will be their ability to provide superior service and selection. Momentum aims to raise the level of customer expectations and satisfaction with their knowledge, friendliness, and desire to go the extra mile.
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