Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine staff
Todd Ketch, owner of Pedego Alexandria, pauses with one of the electric bikes outside the location on N. Lee Street in Old Town Alexandria.
It sounds like a Washington Beltway office worker's fantasy: After slogging to work on the Metro and listening to yet another conference call, you start thinking about some amazing alternative career—the kind of job where you might wear jeans to work everyday, do something exciting, and even bring your dog to the office.
Todd Ketch did just that.
He ditched his 25-year long career working as a lobbyist and running a couple of healthcare associations and has opened an electric bike shop in Old Town Alexandria.
His new business, Pedego Alexandria, is located at 210 N. Lee St. in a renovated brick building that used to be home to a bakery back in the 1800s. The store is open for business now and a grand opening celebration is planned for April.
"This is my first time as an entrepreneur," he said. During a stop at his new shop, he described how he got into the business. He's always had a love for bikes, he said. He's owned a Giant Sedona mountain bike since 1989. "I just can't get rid of it, it's a great bike.
"So, I have this affinity for bicycles and a love of outdoors and was looking for something that allowed me to pursue that passion of getting people outside and being active. And I was looking at an article in Inc. magazine in February last year and it was about Pedego and their model for their dealerships. It's not a franchise, but an independent dealership. I have a license to sell their bikes."
The electric bikes make riding much easier without taking away any of the fun. The battery-powered bikes come in a variety of styles, from mountain bikes with heavy-duty shock absorbers to oversized tricycles with a storage unit in back. There are 14 different models in all. The bikes have several battery options that are recharged when you plug them into a standard wall outlet.
The bikes are available for test rides and rentals if you want to try before you buy.
There are cruiser, commuter, cargo, low-step options, mountain bikes and folding bikes for people with limited space. "We've got pretty much any option people would want," Ketch said.
The prices start at $2,300 and it goes up to $5,500 for the top-of-the-line mountain bike. The store will also be selling accessories, including helmets, baskets, seat options and locks as well as bike clothing.
The company headquarters is located in Fountain Valley, Calif. Frames are made primarily in China and other components come from elsewhere. There are about 150 stores nationwide. Ketch's location is the only Pedego store in the D.C. metro area; the closest one is in Richmond, he said.
Ketch is a native of Northern Virginia, growing up in Burke; he went to George Mason University and now lives in Woodbridge with his wife. The couple has three daughters and a son.
When deciding where to locate the store, Ketch and the owner of the company drove around Northern Virginia to find just the right spot and decided on Old Town Alexandria, Ketch said.
"We just both went, 'This is the place.' It has everything — it has all the great opportunities to go and see history, it has great bike culture, it's got bike-friendly pathways and roadways," he said.
"And so, it's just a super opportunity here, in terms of the people who live here and there's a need for people to do less with cars in Alexandria — to do more on bikes," he said. "And there is great tourism here. That's where the tours and rentals can come in. This location offered every aspect of where we can do well to get these bikes out to people so they can enjoy them."
Look for a grand opening in late April. Or, stop by 210 N. Lee Street between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for a test ride and more information.
