Vancouver scooter businesses find success, say pandemic boosting demand

Two new downtown Vancouver electrical scooter companies are offering a brand new method to safely discover Vancouver through the pandemic.

Electrical-scooter rental firm and vendor Zoot Scoot, close to Esther Quick Park, and one other vendor, Rev Rides, close to Briz Mortgage & Guitar on Washington Avenue, are each discovering success with numerous gross sales this summer season.

Jason Adams and his spouse, Kristie Means, opened Zoot Scoot in early June at 812 Columbia St. Earlier than opening, he was apprehensive about beginning a brand new enterprise amid the pandemic. However he realized it was a possibility to deliver reasonably priced leisure to downtown in a time when many sources of leisure have been shut down.

“At first, I used to be pondering of placing it on maintain due to COVID-19,” Adams mentioned. “However I believed it was type of leisure whereas nonetheless following the social distancing tips.”

Zoot Scoot presents fat-tire e-scooter leases and gross sales. They’re accessible to lease for $20 per hour, or $69.99 for the day. The scooters have a 40-mile vary, permitting prospects to see a lot of Vancouver. Leases may be made on-line at zootscoot.net or over the cellphone.

Adams specified that the e-scooters needs to be used within the bike lane solely and never on any sidewalks. Helmets are offered by Zoot Scoot and the e-scooters can be found for buy at $1,695 every.

Adams mentioned the response has been superb, and the neighborhood has embraced them. Inside the first 5 weeks of opening, he bought the 50 models he had in inventory, and leases proceed to come back in.

“I needed to maintain it reasonably priced so individuals can take pleasure in it with out monetary pressure, particularly in a time like this,” Adams mentioned.

He mentioned a number of native companies have come by to indicate help. His neighbors subsequent door at Doppelganger rented eight scooters for an worker outing this summer season.

“That is my hometown. I’m proud to be doing my half in serving to our space develop,” Adams mentioned.

REV Rides

Nathan Pust relocated his enterprise REV Rides, which stands for Leisure Electrical Automobiles, out of his storage in Salmon Creek to a brand new downtown location at 500 Washington St., full with a workshop and showroom.

In October of 2018, Pust started REV Rides after he first obtained within the trade whereas touring to Asia and seeing the recognition of electrical autos there.

“I personally needed one and I all the time needed to start out my very own enterprise,” Adams mentioned. “I seen there have been hardly any scooter retailers within the U.S. and noticed there was a market there.”

Almost two years later, Pust moved REV Rides downtown to promote a wide array of leisure electrical autos, together with stand-up scooters, filth bikes and unicycles. In addition they provide upkeep within the workshop hooked up to the showroom.

“We’re a part of an incredible neighborhood down right here, and it’s actually helped with our native presence,” Pust mentioned.

Most of Pust’s enterprise comes via gross sales throughout the nation. He provides round 35 sellers with electrical autos and sells merchandise on-line at revrides.com to prospects in Seattle, San Francisco and New York. The situation downtown is open for gross sales and upkeep by appointment solely.

Pust mentioned he doesn’t see a lot battle between his and Adams’ enterprise. He believes they each can thrive in downtown Vancouver. 

“As we have been each opening up and transferring in Jason got here by and launched himself,” Pust mentioned. “He’s a very nice man; we talked about our enterprise plans and I don’t see lots of overlap.”

Pust mentioned enterprise has boomed throughout the trade through the pandemic, with gross sales doubling and virtually tripling.

Pust and Minon Minnieweather, Rev Rides’ shopper help specialist, had a few theories on the excessive demand: Individuals are bored sheltering indoors and on the lookout for environmentally pleasant types of transportation.

Minnieweather identified that the first motivation is monetary causes. Leisure electrical autos require much less upkeep, minimize out gasoline and parking prices and are sometimes extra reasonably priced than a automobile for these desirous to keep away from public transit through the pandemic.

“Now that everybody’s house, they’ve time now to consider practicality and their finances,” Minnieweather mentioned. “There’s a sensible facet but in addition a enjoyable facet to it.” 

Adams hopes to make use of the upward momentum within the electrical automobile trade to realize his long-term targets of franchising his enterprise. He plans on opening a second Zoot Scoot in Scottsdale, Ariz., in October.

“It’s all in regards to the seasons,” Adams mentioned. “When the rain comes again to the Northwest, it drops all the way down to 85 in Arizona and that’s after they wish to get exterior.”

Pust and his co-workers at REV Rides all participate in a neighborhood experience for electrical autos each Sunday.

He mentioned it’s been a pleasant method to get out of the home and see individuals.

“These leisure electrical autos are easy and quiet,” Pust mentioned. “You’ll be able to hear all of the birds and you may really feel the breeze rush by.”