Electric bike shop rides into Queen City

Following several years of employment in local bike shops, John Terrell decided to venture out to open one of his own.

Nov. 1 was opening day for Ozark Mountain E-Bikes LLC at 2145 W. Republic Road in the Republic Plaza shopping center. Terrell said he most recently was employed at Totally Rad E-Bikes LLC, which relocated last year to Ozark from Branson. His friend, Chad Davis, owns that shop, which Terrell said provided him with the background and motivation to bring a store centered around sales and service of electric bikes to the Queen City.

“I got a lot of experience in pulling licenses, doing inspections, working with vendors directly, stocking and inventory,” Terrell said of his work at Totally Rad, which was preceded by several years of employment at A&B Cycle. “It was kind of like a dry run for me to be like, ‘I think I can do this.’”

Noting an absence of other e-bike-specific shops in Springfield, Terrell said he was ready to launch his first ownership venture.

“I saw this space was open in late September or early October, and it was just like, ‘If I'm going to do this, it should probably be now.’ It’s a fantastic spot for an e-bike shop,” he said, noting the location allows customers the ability to test ride the bikes in the rear parking lot or the service street just north of the shop. “Really everything just worked out exactly how we wanted. I think this is what I should be doing.”

Terrell, who is currently the venture’s lone employee, said startup costs were around $35,000, declining to disclose his five-year lease rate with property owner Republic Plaza RCM Properties LLC.

Ozark Mountain E-Bikes sells Velotric and Aima brands, Terrell said, noting he has expertise in numerous other electric bikes. The average price range for Velotric bikes at the store range $1,800-$2,000, while Aima bikes generally sell for around $2,200-$2,300, he said, adding all sales include two-year warranties and lifetime free adjustments.

The 1,500-square-foot shop also offers e-bike service, including tune-ups, electronic diagnostics and overhauls. Service packages range $90-$250, according to the store’s website. 

An avid cyclist who uses his own e-bike to commute to work, Terrell said he’s hoping to be a complement in the biking marketplace.

“There are way better bike shops than me in Springfield and in the area for your pedal bike. I have no problem admitting that,” he said, noting A&B Cycle and Sunshine Bike Shop are a couple of the top-tier local options. “I just want to help a community that doesn’t get served as much, which is the e-bike community.”