Owner James Cornelius is answering the need for outdoor recreation.
“I’m from Ohio, and my wife, Lani, is from Hawaii, so we really love the climate here in Camp Verde. Plus, it’s unusual to have a verdant area mixed with desert climate.”
Cornelius lived in Flagstaff for 25 years, went to Coconino High School for his senior year, worked at SCA Tissue North America as a maintenance lead for most of his career and, until earlier this year, owned Flagstaff Bicycle.
“We would visit my mom in Nogales and often traveled from Flagstaff and back. As we passed Camp Verde, we would look over and didn’t think much of it. When we finally got around to doing a little exploring, we fell in love with the town of Camp Verde fast. We found out that we really liked the culture, too, so it was a very easy transition for us.”
The township of Camp Verde currently boasts a population of 12,147. As a full service bike shop, Camp Verde Bicycle is the only bike shop that caters to locals, selling bicycles and gear for all ages.
“James is super knowledgeable about his products. He was really kind to us and gave us a good deal. Plus, he was able to get the product in without a huge delay,” said Ruby Road Resale and Vendor Mall Owner Pamela Bridgnell. “We needed a bike rack for our bikes, one of which is an electric bike and a bit bulky. We tried all the major outdoor retailers and no one could actually help us with the size of our problem. He was the guy that helped us find the right rack.”
Human-powered transportation is the future emphasis of Camp Verde Bicycle. “We will be selling scooters, skateboards, hiking supplies and things along that line,” said Cornelius. “Our shop will stay primarily bicycles but Camp Verde is really crying out for some basic outdoor sports gear.”
Cornelius says the bike shop is also starting to work with the schools and recently began a relationship with Verde Valley Wheel Fun, a non-profit organization whose goal is to put Verde Valley kids on bikes.
Michael Woodruff has been in the bike business for 26 years and recently started to work at Camp Verde Bicycle. “I was employed at a busy shop in Sedona and the work was stressful and wasn’t any fun anymore. Plus, I lived in Camp Verde and was getting tired of the commute,” said Woodruff. “James and I started having conversations and after a while, it seemed like a natural fit for me to join his team. We have similar ideas about the bike industry and we both agree that bikes can be expensive and outlandishly priced so we want to help and encourage folks to ride more on affordable bikes.”
Woodruff is encouraged by the community’s interest in developing more trails. “Camp Verde has some incredible plans and I can see that this is going to be a popular place for cyclists to come and ride.”
Though Cornelius was never a professional cyclist, he did start his two-wheel adventure when he was 4 years old. “I rode BMX exhibition for a while, doing little shows for schools and missionary stints on the Navajo Reservation.” He is also a trail runner.
Racking up miles on his bike, Cornelius does two group rides a week, one on the road and one off-road. “Fridays I coordinate a group road ride and on Saturday, a group mountain bike ride. I’m working on getting the shop staffed so we can support more rides and get more people cycling.”
“I ride with older and younger riders. My priority is to help people enjoy the sport so we meet them at whatever level they are at,” said Cornelius.
Camp Verde Bicycle, located at 735 South Main, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, call 928-567-6734.
LAST TIME I THANKED MY YOUNGER SELF
It was something I did a while ago that led to moving to Camp Verde. I’d say the big deal was working at relocating my family before they knew they wanted to move.
ADVICE FOR NEW BUSINESS OWNERS
The most important thing in Camp Verde to remember is it’s about the people; you are always working with your neighbors, so treat everyone that way.
TOPPING MY BUCKET LIST
I’m doing it. This was my bucket list: family man, local shop. If I succeed at this, I am content with what I’ve accomplished in life. I have no shortage of ambition for things beyond what I’m doing now but I try to stay focused on what’s in front of me.
WHAT I DO FOR FUN
Running, cycling, landscaping, I love working in the meander land, in our yard by the river. I like making my land into a nice place to share, like a park for everybody who comes over and of course for my children. We swim in the river all the time.
FAVORITE MOVIE
Groundhog Day does a great job of presenting that even if you accomplish things going exactly to plan and have all of the means to do it, relationships are still the most valuable thing in life. QCBN
By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN
