Ribble Cycles have opened a new showroom in the heart of Lancashire's Ribble Valley.
The showroom allows customers to explore the entire Ribble range at first hand, blending digital and physical retail with features including what is claimed to be Europe's largest 4k video wall.
Describing the new store as a "state of the art flagship showroom", Ribble have designed the 2000sq ft premises to showcase their acclaimed bicycle range.
The showroom blends digital information points with a chance to inspect the physical bikes at first hand, to create what Ribble describe as a "unique, totally immersive and all-sensory consumer experience" - or, as we used to call it in the old, days, "shopping".
Joking aside, it looks a suitably swish venue for Ribble's ever-expanding range of bikes.
The spacious flagship has been designed to individually showcase every bike in the Ribble range, with a generous amount of space to allow customers to interact with the bikes and appreciate the design in detail.
Visitors have all the info they need immediately at their fingertips, with dedicated product information contained on digital display screens beside every bike.
Ribble's own "knowledgeable, passionate and friendly" team (we can vouch for that description) are also on-hand to answer any questions and assistance to select the perfect bike.
Ribble have even created a signature scent for use in store to "further enhance the sensory experience".
"We wanted to create a brand showcase which would define the future of cycle retailing and represent our world-class credentials," says Ribble's commercial director, David Stacey.
"Putting the Ribble brand experience in the heart of the Ribble Valley set amongst the most incredible riding routes directly from our doorstep was of paramount importance. From the moment you step into the showroom you will enter a truly immersive experience and it will completely challenge the notion of a traditional bike shop.
"I passionately believe that we have created a major step forward for retail standards and possibly the best bike shop in the world at launch."
Andy Smallwood, Ribble's CEO adds: "This exciting state of the art digitally focused showroom and brand retail proposition is the culmination of incredible work by the entire team at Ribble and whilst we have been trading since 1897 this absolutely represents our vision for the future of the Ribble business as we continue to innovate and disrupt the Cycling and Leisure markets on our way to becoming a truly world-class brand.
"This new flagship showroom showcases our significant investment and dedication to and vision for the brand's future with the digital technology integrated into this physical proposition enhancing and complementing our industry leading online customer journey demonstrating the ambition and scale of our strategy."
The new flagship store also houses the Ribble Live virtual showroom team allowing customers from all around the world to speak with one of the experts via a live one-way video chat and to experience the store from the comfort of their own home.
Starting this summer the store will also become a location for Ribble events and activities including regular ride-outs, evening talks, technical 'how to' classes, screenings and Zwift events.
Elements from the new flagship store will be built into more stores as the brand continues to increase the physical portfolio footprint.
If you'd like to pop along and have a sniff - literally - around Ribble's latest crop of bikes, the new showroom is open seven days a week at Ribble Cycles, Unit 1, Barrow Brook Trade Park, Barrow Brook, Clitheroe BB7 9BQ.
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