Ottawa bicycle shop Quick Cranks has acquired Foster’s Sports Centre, the city’s oldest bike shop, and the new owner’s director Mustafa Ismail said he’s ready to carry on Foster’s legacy, modernize operations and serve Ottawans — all while continuing to bet on Centretown.
Situated at the intersection of Bank and MacLaren streets, the landmark Foster’s storefront has provided sporting goods, equipment and services to Ottawans for more than 60 years. Ismail said the acquisition is “the new chapter in Foster’s legacy.”
Quick Cranks was able to step in and allow Foster’s owner Rami Aroosi to pass the torch, Ismail said, and the process has been “nothing but positive.”
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For Ginger Bertrand, some of her earliest childhood memories in Ottawa are centred around healthcare. “I grew up across the street from what was originally the General Hospital,” she explains,
“I’ve known (Aroosi) for a while, he’s good friends with my business partner as well, and he was telling us about wanting to retire at some point,” explained Ismail. “As the season got closer, he got more and more serious about wanting to pass it on and that’s what happened.”
The deal was in the works for months and made official in January, Ismail said. Foster’s was “absorbed” to create Quick Cranks’ second storefront in the city at 437 Cooper St. Its other location is at 1089 Somerset St. W. in Hintonburg.
The decision was made to close the iconic Foster’s location on Bank Street and the space has since become the new home of Wallack’s Art Supplies and Framing.
“We just didn’t need as much space as that massive space on Bank Street and wanted to get away from some of the hustle and bustle to somewhere just a bit quieter where people can test-ride bikes safely,” Ismail said. “It took a lot to move to the other store, just a block away, but it’s a new chapter.
“We’re going from an institution in Ottawa to something just a bit more modernized.”
At a time when many Bank Street businesses are navigating post-pandemic loss of traffic, rising economic pressures and ongoing parking and safety woes, Ismail said he plans to continue investing in Centretown and serving its locals.
“I always look at Bank Street from the human side of things. These aren’t just random personalities walking down the road, this is people’s home,” he explained. “Lots of people live here; I lived at Bank and Slater (streets) for years.
“I don’t see it as ‘the situation on Bank,’ if you can call it that,” he continued. “It’s that people who live here need a reputable bike shop so they can enjoy this beautiful place to cycle.”
The new store on Cooper Street is a “bike shop through and through,” said Ismail, centred on servicing and bike sales. Foster’s had been shifting from its original mix of equestrian equipment and clothing, recreational and sporting goods to more cycling-focused services in recent years.
“It’s a second location for Quick Cranks that offers the modern service centre, online presence and community engagement,” said Ismail. “We figured it would be easier to close down Foster’s and the business name, have everything streamlined, and absorb the Foster’s clientele and services.”
Quick Cranks has also taken on Foster’s two remaining employees for a total of 14 team members across both locations.
The acquisition also contributes to Quick Cranks’ mission of improving accessibility of cycling, which includes providing affordable services and bicycles, and Ismail said he’s excited to continue Foster’s reputation and services to its customers under a new name but with the same familiar faces and services and a modern touch.
“We ship bikes all over the country, but our bread and butter is really the commuters, the recreational cyclists, the locals who don’t need a full uniform or an expensive bike to enjoy cycling. We really want to be a benefit to Centretown,” Ismail said. “Our phones have been ringing constantly with loyal Foster’s customers asking, ‘What happened, why did you close, what’s going on, where’s Tim?’, and Tim’s right beside me, I can hand him the phone, and Foster’s lives on.
“But I think people are happy to see operations running a bit more smoothly and more modernized, too.”
