Pietro Policastro never turns down an opportunity to go mountain biking. The owner of Boost Bike Shop on 125 W. Marion St. in uptown Shelby cannot help but think what his life would have been like as professional rider, but his job servicing and selling bikes has turned out well for him.
As the country celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, Policastro said he is thankful to have support from the community, saying many have embraced him with open arms and have supported his business since the day he took over. Although he jumped into a situation without knowing what to expect, he is satisfied with his decision to become an entrepreneur at an early age.
According to nbcnews.com, Hispanics are exceeding the national average when it comes to starting businesses. Over the last decade, they have seen a 34% increase in comparison to one percent for all other small businesses.
“Looking back on it, I didn’t really realize what I was doing,” said Policastro. “Honestly, it kind of fell into my lap. An older guy here had the shop for 20 something years. I started helping him one summer so I kind of ran the shop for him when he was in the hospital. When he passed, I didn’t know what to do. His family told me I could have the tools in there, so I jumped in.”
That man was John Schanewolf, who inspired Policastro to rally a new generation of bike enthusiasts. Schanewolf created Schanewolf’s Cycle Sports in 1994 and ran a BMX biking team where hundreds of kids were sponsored under his brand. Policastro witnessed firsthand what happens when passion and good customer service collide.
Today, he said the bike shop is flourishing despite manufacturing delays in the industry. Policastro said if you order a bike, you may not get it until 2024. Still, his store is fully stocked with plentiful options for avid bikers and cyclists.
He does not let those changes in commerce disrupt his day-to-day operations as a business owner. He enjoys running the shop because it allows him to connect with his Hispanic counterparts.
“When we are talking with our customers, we use our Spanish language more than English,” said Policastro. “I get a lot of kids coming in with beat up BMX bikes. That’s the cool thing. This brings a lot of the minority community in.”
The 25-year-old said bike riding is becoming a popular pastime within the Hispanic community and hopes to grow the sport even more. Policastro, who is from Venezuela, lived in Texas for a while before moving to Shelby and said Cleveland County is a world away from the Lone Star State where he lived just 15 minutes from the border.
“When we moved here, in the community, sometimes I feel things are a little bit separate,” said Policastro. “But the city has a done a good job of having events for people to go to.”
Every weekend, Policastro can be found in either South Carolina, Hickory or Asheville lighting up the trails. Maneuvering through the rough terrain is no problem for the biker who loves a good challenge.
“I bought a bike when I was 18 and fell I love with it and fell in love with mountain biking,” said Policastro.
Moving forward, Policastro is not looking far into the future, saying he will explore his options later down the road. One thing is certain though. His love for biking will not change.
“I may explore other things, but I am still going to keep the bicycle shop open,” said Policastro.
Latrice Williams can be reached at 704-669-3339 and lwilliams6@gannett.com.
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