Red numbers and closure for two Stromer stores

The Stromer branches in Binningen and Lausanne closed at the end of 2014. Now the Bernese electric bike company is drawing the line at the branches in Zurich and Kriens. And: entrepreneur Andy Rihs expects the electric bike company to reach the profit zone in three to four years.

In the first half of 2015, Stromer announced that it was opening up new markets in the USA, England and Ireland, but the signs are by no means pointing to expansion in its home market of Switzerland. As the "Blick" reports, the remaining Stromer stores in Zurich and Kriens will soon be closing. According to the daily newspaper, all employees have already been given notice and solutions are being sought for them.

Stores too small
According to the "Blick" article, Andy Wolfisberg, head of the Squadra Mondo bicycle chain, to which the Stromer stores are affiliated, cites economic reasons for the store closure. Wolfisberg gives the same explanation as the former Squadra Mondo manager Erwin Metz, when the branches in Binningen and Lausanne closed their doors at the end of 2014: The branches in Zurich and Kriens were too small to properly reflect Squadra Mondo's portfolio,

Not in the profit zone after seven years
Andy Rihs also has his say in the "Blick" report. According to the bicycle entrepreneur and cycling patron, it is normal for Stromer as a start-up company not to be in the profit zone yet, but the black figures are achievable in three to four years.

Stromer in specialist retail
With the store closures, Stromer customers will still have other points of contact: The Stromer headquarters with a flagship store is located in Oberwangen. And on the specialist retail side, there are still numerous Stromer partners, for example the chain store Stromvelo prominently features the Bernese electric bike in its six stores in German-speaking Switzerland. Stromvelo has a presence in Zurich and Lucerne, which means that Stromer riders do not have far to travel to their nearest point of contact despite the store closures.

www.squadramondo.com
www.stromerbike.com

Link to the Ride.ch report on the Stromer store opening in Zurich
Link to the Ride.ch report on the Stromer store opening in Binningen
Link to the report from Ride.ch on the Stromer store opening in Kriens

Link to the Ride.ch report on the closure of the Stromer stores in Binningen and Lausanne