The bike shop, which has grown into a Tarentum institution since its opening in 1964, plans to move some of its operations out of the Borough.
Gatto Cycle Shop has announced that it will be closing its Harley-Davidson dealership on East 6th Avenue. Merges with his Glenn Avenue shop in his Shaler, which has been family owned since 2007.
Megastore Three Rivers Harley-Davidson will be the only Harley dealer in Allegheny County.
“This was a big decision for us, but you can’t be successful with a small number of stores,” said 60-year-old President George Gatto.
“It was mentally tough. I grew up in that building in Tarentum.
“We lived in New Quen, biked across the Tarentum Bridge, skated on the Tarena (roller rink), napped on my mom’s office chaise longue. That was my whole childhood. .”
The store will remain open until mid-September, when inventory moves to the 40,000-square-foot Shaler facility.
Almost twice the size of a Tarentum dealer, the space is set up for weekend events, including bands and food trucks, and is easily accessible from Routes 28 and 19, Gatto said.
“The biggest downside of this move is Route 28,” he said. “It’s the back roads that are fun to ride. Luckily you can get there via Saxonburg Boulevard.”
Dozens of Harley employees at Talentum have been offered jobs at the new store.
40-year employee Sam Atkinson is making a difference.
“Bittersweet,” said Atkinson, 59, who grew up in Tarentum and started with Gut, fresh out of high school.
He quit his job peeling potatoes after school at nearby Massart’s Restaurant and started cleaning up greasy stains in Gatto’s garage a few streets away.
Now a master-level Harley-Davidson technician, he sees Talentum’s closure as an adventure.
“We have to look to the future,” Atkinson said.
Gatto’s headquarters in the huge former YMCA building still greets people at the town’s entrance.
Its location on East 7th Avenue is a hub for power sports, pontoons, bikes, parts and accessories.
The family owns several other properties in town, many of which will be used to house stock. Others will be sold, Gatto said.
“We started with one building, but we ran out of space and ended up with buildings all over Tarentum,” he said. “You could never buy the one next to you. Our service center is just three blocks from the dealership, which is just logistically difficult to manage.”
The future of the popular Cycle Diner, which was attached to a Harley showroom in 1949, remains a mystery. The Allegheny County Health Department denied permission to reopen after the covid shutdown due to the configuration of the dining area.
While some lamented Gatto’s announcement, Tarentum Council President Scott Dadowski said the move would create room for future growth in the shop’s other specialties.
“When I think of Harley-Davidson, my first thought is gut,” said Dadowski.
“But Tarentum borders the Allegheny River, so we are excited to hear that interest in water sports and boating will grow here. , we hope that as interest in water activities grows, this shop will become a destination not only for residents, but also for water sports enthusiasts from across the region.
Gatto said the demand for water sports helped his decision. Sales were growing exponentially and the store needed more space to thrive, he said.
The acquisition of a Harley dealership in West Mifflin in 2021 also steered Gut toward Schaller’s move.
Gatto and two other dealers acquired Hot Metal Harley in December, giving Gatto 55% of the market space.
“We’ve lost seven outlets since the last recession,” he said.
“It’s a lot of work to absorb the extra business and it’s all on my back, but we have a chance to be the only dealer in the county. This is a huge opportunity for us.”
The Shaler integration will allow Gatto to enter markets such as Pittsburgh and North Hills and attract new customers.
He said the move is necessary to replace baby boomers who have been shopping the most for a long time but are getting older and not riding at the same intensity.
“Ryder looked like Santa in leather,” said Gatto. “Not anymore. We need to find enough young people to make up for the big bubble we’re missing.”
Tawnya Panizzi is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. She can reach Tawnya by email at tpanizzi@triblive.com or on her Twitter. .
