Frank Krygowski wrote:

That's fine. A couple years ago a new bike
shop opened adjacent to the longest
rail-trail in our area. I know the guy who
used to own it. Nice guy; he did some
volunteer work with me. He said the shop was
doing just fine, including renting bikes to
people to use on the trail.

One should place the shop where people go by
bike already, and optimally where people ONLY
go by bike (pedestrians are fine), because
otherwise the bikers are much fewer and they
are occupied with the traffic, they won't see
or stop to access the shop in as relaxed
a manner.

Also it is good to place the shop next to some
popular and accessible place, for example the
city public library, so people can turn in the
bike for some minor fix, go to the library,
then get it when they are done.

--
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573