Toby Hill

Toby Hill

A writer and editor with more than 20 years of publishing experience, Toby is one of the newest members of the BRAIN editorial team. His resume includes several years on the news and business copy desk at Southern California's Orange County Register before moving on to edit several entertainment and business trade publications, including Showbiz Daily and The Hollywood Reporter. As a longtime, though still woefully unskilled mountain biker, he is a frequent patron of the emergency rooms and urgent care facilities near BRAIN’s home base of Laguna Hills. And while his medical payments have helped adorn the schooners and yachts of several prominent orthopedic surgeons in the community, Toby has never been invited for so much as a harbor cruise. He lives in the mountain bike mecca of Fullerton—home of the famed and deadly Fullerton Loop—with his wife, daughter and two dogs.

All articles by Toby Hill

November 30, 2012

CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — Denver’s Turin Bicycles returns to its roots in more ways than one as it readies a new retail location in Chicago that will sell its own brand of bicycles as well as products and accessories from Asia and Europe that currently do not have U.S. distribution.

Posted in Retail News
November 29, 2012

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — More than 40 percent of independent bicycle dealers report stronger Black Friday sales this year than in 2011, according to research firm Leisure Trends Group.

Posted in Studies/Reports
November 28, 2012

EVANSTON, IL (BRAIN) — Wisconsin’s Wheel & Sprocket, the BRAIN Gold Star Retailer owned by Chris Kegel, is opening its first location in Illinois, taking over the space being vacated by Evanston’s Ten 27 Cycles, formerly Turin Bicycles. 

Posted in Retail News
November 28, 2012
Photos by Kyer Wiltshire

MILL VALLEY, CA (BRAIN) — High-end road and mountain shop Studio Velo gets a larger and more functional space to serve its well-heeled customer base after leaving its old digs for a new location in its hometown of Mill Valley, California.

Posted in Retail News
November 26, 2012

With mixed emotions and expectations, retailers jumped into the Thanksgiving shopping weekend with Black Friday sales promotions that saw equally uneven results.

Posted in Retail News
November 21, 2012

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Leisure Trends Group projects that IBD sales for the year through September have reached more than $3 billion, up 7 percent compared with the same period in 2011.

Posted in Studies/Reports
November 20, 2012

TRAVERSE CITY, MI (BRAIN) — “Custom” and “local” are the guiding forces at One of a Kind Cycle, a new boutique shop opening this week in Traverse City.

Posted in Retail News
November 20, 2012

BOSTON, MA (BRAIN) — The Community Spoke, a bicycle co-op that provides free access to tools, parts and maintenance assistance, has closed indefinitely following a burglary in which thousands of dollars in bikes, tools and other shop supplies were lost. 

Posted in Retail News
November 20, 2012

WALNUT, CA (BRAIN) — Cycling website BikeRoar is offering U.S. dealers free listings to market their businesses, with an eye toward rolling out premium services that would display retailers’ in-stock inventory and pricing as well as detailed shop information such as videos and store tours.

Posted in Retail News
November 8, 2012

LOS ANGELES, CA (BRAIN) — Sports Chalet’s sales for its fiscal second quarter rose 3.9 percent to $91.5 million as same-store sales jumped 5.5 percent for the 13 weeks ended Sept. 30, the sporting goods chain reported Wednesday.

Posted in Industry News

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