A Vancouver bike shop is closing down and, in its parting goodbye message to its followers, had some choice words for government leaders.
Sidesaddle Bike Shop announced on Instagram that it was closing its only location on Commercial Drive.
“Sidesaddle will be closing by the end of March,” the Instagram post stated.
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Sidesaddle is a “women-focused bike shop.”
“We are proud to support the long tradition of women using bicycles to make their lives bigger and better,” Sidesaddle says on its website.
Sidesaddle’s Instagram post said it’s not “closing by choice.”
“The conditions for operating a small business, in Vancouver specifically and Canada more broadly, have become too difficult and too scary to continue,” Sidesaddle said in the post.
“Things would be different if government at any level showed a sincere interest in securing the three H’s for Canadian citizens: Housing, Health Care, and an Honest Economy (as opposed to one based on money laundering, organized crime, and fraud),” the post continued.
“Politicians at all levels of government over the past 10-20 years are responsible. If you don’t like this outcome, do your research, read widely, and vote accordingly.”
“Housing is the number one factor.”
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We connected with Andrea Smith, Sidesaddle’s owner, to get more thoughts on the state of small businesses in Vancouver and the factors that led to it shutting down.
“We had a lot of success early on, as all kinds of customers (even the guys) flocked to us for a mellow vibe and personalized service.”
Smith believes that the housing situation in B.C. has profoundly impacted the job market, at least for Sidesaddle.
“Housing is the number one factor. It doesn’t matter how high we push wages, our staff are under constant housing stress with renovictions and dud roommate situations that they’re forced into for lack of alternatives. As a result, many skilled workers have left the city, and those who stay are demoralized because they rightly don’t see a future for themselves.”
Smith added, “At peak, we had 12 full-time employees between the two locations, all earning a living wage and keeping riders rolling. But as staff departed through normal attrition, they’ve been impossible to replace. We got through last summer with two full-time staff, plus me, the owner, putting in insanely long hours. I love my job, but this isn’t sustainable!”
It hasn’t been easy on customers either, according to Smith.
“On the customer side, whether people rent or own, all their money goes to their housing. There are people in the city with lots of money, but average incomes are lower than [in] many other Canadian cities. After we all pay our exorbitant housing costs, there’s not very much left over for other household needs and wants, and that’s bad for all kinds of business, including bikes,” said Smith.
“Our experience has been that since COVID, there’s been almost constant chaos and disruption.”
Smith reflected on the lasting impact that COVID has had on our mental health and that since then, building relationships has changed.
“Community is less robust, and relationships are more fragile; people are quicker to anger and harder to please.”
What the future holds for this Vancouver bike shop owner
Supamotionstock.com/Shutterstock
We asked Smith if she would consider running a business in Vancouver again.
“I would be very hesitant to open another business that needs employees and caters to the middle class. Both are endangered species in Vancouver. In looking for a region to run another business, I would look for a place where the cost of housing is closely in line with local incomes, as that would signal to me a healthy economy where things are in balance and hard work will be rewarded with a decent and stable life. ”
“The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one. I see a lot of denial from our leaders at all levels, so it’s hard to be optimistic,” Smith told Daily Hive.
Smith isn’t alone in feeling this way. In December, we published a story from the perspective of the B.C. Business Council that raised the alarm about how many people are leaving the province.
The council pointed out that “for the first time in over a decade,” B.C. was experiencing a net population loss to other Canadian provinces and territories.
It added that 50 per cent of those leaving for other provinces chose Alberta. Another alarming statistic from Statistics Canada is that 67 per cent of people leaving are under 40, “highlighting a significant loss of young talent.”
One more sobering reality from a 2024 Angus Reid survey is that 50 per cent of people between 18 and 34 are considering leaving the province.
Many followers resonated with the message in response to Sidesaddle’s closing announcement on Instagram.
“Trying to pay staff what they deserve and need in a city where housing and daycare are ridiculously out of reach is a huge challenge for businesses in this town,” read one comment.
Someone else said, “Vancouver sucks for small business, unfortunately!”
“Very sorry to hear that you’ve been forced to do this, Andrea, but completely understandable under the circumstances,” another Instagram user responded.
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March 21 is when the only Sidesaddle location will be permanently closed. Sidesaddle teased that some sales could be coming up, so you’ll want to watch their socials to take advantage of some potential deals.
Smith encourages riders to “come down and get yourself ready with a new ride for the coming summer!”