November 30, 2010 (Oakville, ON) – It was an evening to remember as 450 enthusiasts gathered at Budd’s BMW showroom in Oakville for the inaugural Gears 2011 launch on Friday, Nov. 26. Guests were invited to enjoy a cocktail reception where they shared a glass and sampled fabulous hors d’oeuvres while taking in some of the hot new rides from Specialized, Pinarello, BMC, Felt and Giant, the latest cool vehicles from BMW and MINI, and rubbing shoulders with three Olympians.

On hand with their Olympic hardware on display were special guests Curt Harnett, Marnie McBean and Simon Whitfield who mingled with guests and added luster to what could become the retail benchmark in launching each new season – with valet parking this swanky event was the perfect blend of casual and cool.

“We wanted to do something special,” said Kevin Wallace co-owner with Ira Kargel-Kennedy of Gears Bike Shop in Missisauga. “Our customers generally don’t get to see the new stuff until March and we wanted to change that. I met Darryl [Budd] at a friend’s cottage this summer and he suggested we do some co-branding which took me by surprise – ‘you mean with the little bike shop down the road?’ But we kept talking and things just took off from there. Darryl and his team are great partners.”

For Budd, who’s a legend in Oakville and has taken car dealerships to new heights (there are seven Budd’s including BMW, Jaguar and Land Rover, Saab, Subaru, MINI, and Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC), it was a natural. “Our products are complimentary and what a great way to meet new customers for both of us and make an event out of it. There’s a lot of synergy here and people love the chance to get a sneak peak at what’s new whether it’s a top end bicycle or car. It’s exciting for us as we’re the first dealership in Canada to unveil the new 2011 BMW X3 and the 2011 MINI Countryman this evening.”

The event was a unique opportunity for guests to share some laughs in a relaxed setting while getting to touch, feel, and ask questions about some of the hot new 2011 products on display – and place an order of course – which Wallace, Kargel-Kennedy and Budd plan to turn into an annual event.

Specialized’s Andrew McGregor, who made the trip from Montreal, was all smiles. “What a great way to meet customers, talk about the sport, and show some of our line up,” said McGregor who held a brief product session for some guests that wanted a closer look at some select models.

Carol Adams from Spaso Sports, distributors of Felt also based in Montreal, was on hand as well to show customers some of their 2011 bikes and echoed the positive feedback on the evening. “This a unique and great way to introduce our products and keep people excited about cycling.”

Romeo Andretta from Uno Imports Inc. that distributes Pinarello was equally stoked. “It’s a fabulous evening and we’re pleased to be here.” Eric O’Brien with BMC distributor Outdoor Gear Canada and Mike Millar from Giant Canada couldn’t be happier. “People loved it. We were busy all evening,” said O’Brien.

As glasses tinkled and guests mingled in Budd’s spacious BMW showroom you could feel the electricity that was non-stop for the entire evening. Gears has clearly upped the ante on creating a special way for retail shops to launch the upcoming season, so don’t be surprised if this great idea starts to spread across the country. For 450 people it was a special way to preview 2011 and give them food for thought while they’re selecting snow tires.

Check out our video coverage of the evening coming soon.