After Great Plains Bicycles closed, Newton never had another bicycle shop. There was “some excitement,” he said, when folks found out the Hobbses were once again getting back into the bicycle business.
So we are re-establishing Great Plains Bicycle Repair solely as a professional repair facility.” “When I went back to my old records from the ‘90s of when we had the shop and looked at whether or not we could be profitable offering only parts and service, I was convinced this was indeed possible. I looked at those bikes and said to myself, ‘You know, I should be making money with this!’ This fall, that changed.Įver since Great Plains Bicycles closed, Hobbs would still be approached by folks who knew he and Carol Sue, who would ask, “Would you please fix my bike?” John Hobbs said, “I had four bikes in my shop at the time of my epiphany. From Newton, Kansas comes news of an old bicycle business brought back to life:įor 12 years, since the fall of 1997 when John Hobbs and Carol Sue Stayrook Hobbs closed Great Plains Bicycles, their independent bicycle repair and retail shop, Newton residents have had to fix their own bikes or drive to Wichita for similar services.