INSTORE: Pusher BMX
Denver's BMX staple...
11 Dec 2020
Interview by Rob Dolecki.
Colorado OG Clay Brown's shop, Pusher BMX has been an essential cog in the Denver scene for a decade now. We caught up with Clay and got some insight into how the shop is faring in these bizarre times, and how and why he keeps it 100% BMX.
Over the next 12 months we'll be featuring all of our DIG partner stores from around the world, so look for more local BMX shop articles soon!
How long have you been in business?
We will be open ten years this December 1st. The fastest ten years of our lives.
Can you explain how the idea for a store came to be?
The idea had always been there, but it wasn’t till Sean Mckinney at S&M hit me up about opening up a shop to help grow S&M in the Colorado area. Sean told me to get the keys to the shop and he would do what he could to get us product to sell and get us started, since we had no money whatsoever.
Why did you start a shop in your area?
Pusher started out of a sheer need for a core BMX shop in the Denver area. It had always been a dream to have our own shop and stoke out the local scene, and on top of that I was sick of bartending.
Why is Pusher a strictly BMX shop?
We’re strictly BMX cause that’s who we are and all we know, to be frank. We do what we can repair-wise to help all bikes, but as far selling scooters and Kendamas and shit like that, we’re not tossing our hard-earned dollars to those industries.
Who's on the shop team?
The shop team is big and full of bad-asses. There’s about thriteen riders we have on the shop team and four riders on our Pro Mailorder team. Go to www.pusherbmx.com and check out all their bios. Love all these guys to death!
Who owns the shop? Who works there?
I’m the owner (Clayton Brown) and we have four off-and-on employees who are the backbone to Pusher without a doubt. Preston Solis and Mike Williams are our main men, they have been non-stop workhorses since the day they came through the doors in the early days. Danny Camacho is in the ring now and he’s been crushing it for us on all levels, and Keegan Miller and Kevin Neilsen are our part time boys.
What promotional events have you done in the shop since opening?
We’ve done a ton of promotional events from shop jams, to giveaways and fundraisers, to just supporting any and everything we can BMX-related that happens near and around us.
Any plans for more?
We always have plans for future events and whatnot, but Covid has life a bit on hold for those types of things.
How has COVID-19 affected the shop and local scene?
COVID-19 has been a very interesting time for the bike industry in general. Sales have never been better and supply has never been harder to get. On one hand we have people appreciating life and riding bikes during these difficult times, and on the other hand you have this purchasing war going on for every little brake and cable. Take the good with the bad, they say.
What changes have you noticed in the Denver area scene since the shop opened?
Some of the changes I’ve seen take place in the last ten years is just the shift to walk into a brick and mortar shop to do your shopping. People have realized that having a reliable open place to see parts and get fitted for the right bike is the right way to go about it. I’ve also seen people be a bit more motivated to ride hard and put on jams and give back to the rad community we have here in Colorado.
Do you have any plans to produce any new team videos?
We are currently working on a ten-year anniversary video/edit that should be out around the first of the year, and then get to work on a full team video.
How important is performing bike repairs and maintenance for your shop?
Bike repairs are a major part of our day-to-day. BMX kids beat the shit out of their bikes and are in constant need of attention, that’s where we get them stoked on straight wheels and fix freecoasters.
What brands do you carry?
We carry the brands that show the most love to BMX because that’s where we should be concentrating our dollars and efforts. Too many to list personally but lets just say there’s no bullshit floating around here.
What's something you never expected to happen after opening the shop?
I guess it would have to be just surviving and growing in such a hard ass industry to make a living at. BMX is not a safe bet for any profession in the industry that you decide to take, let alone awful profit margins and unlimited options to shop at.
Where do you want the shop to be in five years?
In five years the goal is to buy our own building and have a bigger selection of everything BMX! Hope to see all you there very soon!
Location: Denver, Colorado 80222
Shop address: 5777 E. Evans Ave. #2
Hours: 10-6pm Tues-Saturday, 10-2pm Sunday, Closed Monday
Website: pusherbmx.com
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