I really like the "local bike shop" experience of Machinery Row. When people talk about "LBS" I think Machinery Row is basically the Platonic ideal of that. I had to replace my main commuter bike and I came in and ran into [FIRST NAME REMOVED] right at the front counter. He immediately assessed what I was looking for and then walked me through everything in the store that was a relevant option, and helped me test ride something like 5 different bikes as I zeroed in on the clear choice. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and just a great guy to spend that time with. The whole process was fun and most important I ended up feeling 100% confident that the bike I decided to get was absolutely the right bike for me. And all of the stuff that comes along with that rounded out the experience -- the shop taking care of warranty registration for me, the discount on accessories, option to return for tweaking/tuning as the bike breaks in, and understanding service options, all of that stuff that is exactly why you go to a shop.
Bought a Trek with amazing features and a nice Saris ramp bike rack. Had a great bike ride on the John Nolan trail to test the bike. Your experts were very helpful every step of the way.
Everyone I talked to was incredibly knowledgable and happy to answer all of my questions. I went in sure that I wanted a new bike but unsure of exactly what I needed. I left confident with my purchase and with new knowledge that will hopefully help me progress my endurance!
The service team took the time to learn about my situation, style and bike - THEN gave me options for repair and upgrades. They were not pushy about getting more of this or that, or buying the most expensive thing. In fact, it was a gentle suggestion that I get a mid-tier part rather than the most $$$. Naturally I went for the $$$, so I'll wreck that then get the mid-tier more robust rims next time.
I very much like how the staff took extreme care to explain to me what had happened, how they were fixing it and how I can avoid similar problems in the future. Very helpful, very friendly and very much appreciated.