No one had to tell Matt Barnes what he was in for when he and his wife Amy opened Barnes Motor World, Westminster, in April 2003.
Barnes? family owns Jeff Barnes Chevrolet, Eldersburg, so he already had a life-long course in the world of retail auto sales and management.
“I grew up in the business. We all did,” said Barnes of himself and his siblings. “It?s all I have ever done. I never considered anything else. Some people don?t like working withfamily, but we really do.”
Barnes? innate affinity for the world of autos led him to manage the car dealership for 10 years before opening his own motorcycle dealership. The transition seemed like a natural progression for him.
“Victory Motorcycles is a new company and we like to think we are growing with them,” Barnes said. “These are well-built quality products.”
Barnes sets itself apart by stressing safe riding.
Buying a cycle is generally more for recreation than necessity, but safety is key to keep the experience positive, Barnes said. Not only is that message stressed in the store, but at community events that Barnes sponsors. The five employees at the store practice what they preach, he said.
“We all ride,” Barnes said. “We are involved with customers at bike nights and special events. We want people to enjoy these cycles but they have to respect them to enjoy them safely. We try to make sure that everyone follows the rules of the road.”
Jim Brown, who has sold both cars and cycles for the Barnes family for about five years, said the quality of Victory cycles brings customers in the door. The casual yet friendly atmosphere at the store keeps them there.
“Now with fuel prices rising we get more customers in who haven?t ridden in a long time, sometimes 20 years,” Brown said. “We make sure they know cycling today is different than it was.”
Safety courses that teach proper skills and acclimate the drivers to the new traffic patterns and other changes are appreciated as shown by repeat customers, he said.
“Victory is the other all-American cycle,” Barnes said. “We believe in it, we ride it, and we live it.”
More information
Barnes Motor World
1808 Baltimore Blvd. Westminster
» Phone: 410-857-7999
» Web site: www.barnescycle
works.com
