I started running at the age of 14, competing in cross country and track. During college and my Army service, running continued as part of a physical fitness regimen. Many years, road races, and runs later, I’ve decided I should give biking a try to take away some of the stress on the knees.
When I decided to look at bikes, I went to my local bike shop, Holmes Cycling & Fitness (Camp Hill, PA). Since 2001, we had patronized them for a treadmill and various gym items. We were always satisfied with their products and services.
So, not really knowing what kind of bicycle to get, I headed back to Holmes. Their staff worked with me to understand what I wanted to do with a bike (Rails to Trails, road riding, easy trail riding). They had me test ride many different bikes, ensuring a proper fit in the bike I chose (a Trek 8.3 Dual Sport – hybrid bike) and that the selection worked within my budget.
It was a superb experience and a wonderful kick-off to biking. Since then, they have assisted me numerous times to get the right setup to ensure I could ride into the evenings (light set), carry items with me (rear rack and rack bag), and train towards my first century ride (computer with cadence).
Just about two years later, I’ve put over a 1,000 miles on that bike. Took it in for service and the Holmes staff quickly had my bike tuned up and ready for another 1,000 miles. I was just out yesterday (since it finally got over 60 degrees) and rode the Harrisburg Greenbelt. It was a excellent twenty mile ride to kick off the season (other than my crash, which was a by-product of learning to use cycling shoes and clip-less pedals; nothing major, just some road rash, bruises and minor bleeding on one calf).
Local Businesses Outweigh Bigger Competitors
It was a pleasure to deal with a local business whose staff is extremely knowledgeable, well-trained, and enthusiastic about what they do. It’s comforting to have experts guide me through selecting products that support my goals and lifestyle. The value of having this type of local business far outweighs saving a few dollars or shopping from home.
What Does This Have to do with Epoxy Coatings?
Buying a garage coating or basement coating is an investment. It’s an investment that enhances the value of your home, but only if it’s the right coating for your goals and lifestyle. It’s an investment only if the coatings are high quality and properly installed.
We recently had someone email us asking about pricing for a garage coating. After we provided some basic pricing information, they sent us an email showing web-based research they had completed showing a calculator for garage floor pricing. This calculator wasn't from a credible source (it was from DIY site I’d never seen), didn't show the source of materials (who made these coatings), and didn't show how the labor rate was calculated (was it for professional coatings installers or just a handyman in an unmarked pickup truck?).
What’s more, the calculator didn’t state what type of coating was being priced (epoxy? polyaspartic?). It certainly did NOT include the cost of a company providing:
- Great customer service
- Proper coatings system selection
- Insured, licensed, and trained professional installation teams
- Best-in-industry surface preparation equipment with HEPA dust containment
- A real, long term warranty
Just like when I go to Holmes, our customers choose STRONGHOLD FLOORS for the entire experience. It’s not about getting a cheap epoxy coating. It’s not about picking a garage floor coating because of some random article on the web. It’s about getting great products/solutions coupled with excellent customer service.
Hats off to the staff at Holmes Cycling and Fitness. I hope STRONGHOLD FLOORS can serve as the role model of customer-service oriented, professional coatings as much as Holmes has done for cycling and fitness in central Pennsylvania.
Mike Mincemoyer is the President of STRONGHOLD FLOORS and one member of the ownership team. This year, he hope to convince his wife how badly he needs a new road bike to complete that 100-mile in a day event in Carlisle.
