Dutch Bike Co. founder David Schmidt undeterred by recession

A funny thing happened the other day as David Schmidt, the founder of Dutch Bike Co., was extolling the virtues of pedal power.

A Ford Ranger truck pulled up to his shop near the 14th Avenue Northwest boat ramp in Ballard, and a paunchy, middle-aged man wearing a red Budweiser T-shirt and a baseball cap stepped out. He was smoking.

Schmidt, in blazer, khakis and loafers, walked outside to greet him.

The man asked, "Got any electric bikes?"

"No," said Schmidt, directing him to a store nearby. "We believe in pedaling."

Schmidt, 38, has a vision for America, and it's Holland. He sees healthier, happier Americans riding bicycles as part of their everyday routine.

"In Holland, riding a bicycle is the most normal thing you can do," he said. "And it's a happier place to be."

Watching the man drive away, Schmidt acknowledged that there's room to grow for the bike culture here, but he believes that now — with the nation more attuned to personal health, the environment and frugality — is an opportune time.

He opened the Ballard shop two years ago and a second store in Chicago last fall. Along with his business partner, Stephan Schier, he plans to open a third store in New York City this summer and move to a bigger Ballard location by year's end.

Schmidt sells city-style bikes with a design virtually unchanged since the early 20th century. Their wide, curved handlebars force riders to sit upright, and because they tip the scale at 50 pounds — a lot by today's standards — they make riders slow down and smell the proverbial roses.

What's more, a chain case, fender mud flaps and vinyl-coated shield attached to the back wheel prevent long skirts or business suits from getting dirty, so there's no need for black Lycra tights, Schmidt said.

"Many of our customers are people who maybe haven't ridden a bike since they were 20 years old, and they want a simpler way to get around," he said. "I can't tell you how many of them get on one of our bikes and just giggle."

Schmidt buys most of his bikes from a single supplier in Amsterdam and sells them for as much as some used cars — typically between $1,350 and $1,750.

Steve Pellegrin, a 56-year-old manager at Tableau Software in Fremont, paid $1,600 for a Dutch bike in January and figures he rides it three times a week to work from his home on Capitol Hill.

A longtime cyclist, he has three racers but prefers the Dutch bike for his five-mile commute and neighborhood errands.

"I wanted a bike I could ride year-round without having to think about it very much, and I wanted something quirky," Pellegrin said. "I just felt the Dutch bike was kind of cool."

One unexpected outcome is that he worries less about crashing into people, which he attributes to the bike's old-school design.

"Things happen so slowly on the Dutch bike that if a guy steps in front of me, I just ding my bell, he says 'sorry,' and I smile and go on," Pellegrin said. "People are much better at stopping. Maybe they think it looks like a friendlier bike."

Recalling the opening of his Chicago store last fall, Schmidt said he had some doubts about the timing of his expansion.

"Of course, the recession hit, then the Chicago winter, and everyone freaked out," he said. "But we had a fabulous October, and things are thawing now, for sure."

Sales are up threefold from a year ago, he said.

"Part of what got us into this economic mess is we were all just buying a bunch of junk. People now are looking for things of value that will make them more complete. This," Schmidt said of the Dutch bike, "is something that will last your entire lifetime."

— Amy Martinez

Performance Bicycle, of Chapel Hill, N.C., opens its 85th U.S. store this weekend at Alderwood Towne Center in Lynnwood. The new store marks its third in the Seattle area, joining Redmond and University District locations. — AM

Copper River salmon are arriving at Seattle-area retailers today. The season opened on Thursday, and Haggan and Top Food seafood merchandiser Russ Casteel reported good weather for fishing from his location Thursday in Cordova, Alaska. — MA

Friedlander's Jewelers will close its Bellevue Square store at the end of this month, leaving it without a Washington state location. Friedlander's, which got its start in 1886 in Seattle, still has two stores in Oregon. Its Ohio-based parent, Sterling, bought it from the Friedlander family in 1986. At the time, Friedlander's had stores at Northgate, Tacoma, Southcenter and Alderwood malls, as well as Bellevue Square and downtown Seattle. — AM

Glassybaby, a local maker of decorative colored-glass cups, has opened a new, long-term location at University Village, where it had a temporary store for most of 2008. Crewcuts, a children's clothing concept by J. Crew, took its former space near the children's play area at the Seattle shopping center. Glassybaby is now in space previously occupied by Coastal surf boutique, which still has a store at Alki Beach in West Seattle. — AM

Ostroms Drug & Gift opens a new Kenmore store Saturday, at 6414 N.E. Bothell Way. Ostroms said it had to move to a different location because its previous home for more than four decades, Kenmore Village, is being redeveloped. — AM

Retail Report appears Fridays. Melissa Allison covers the food and beverage industry. She can be reached at 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com. Amy Martinez covers goods, services and online retail. She can be reached at 206-464-2923 or amartinez@seattletimes.com