Bulldog Schwinn & Sports Gets Families Back To Having Fun

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It may not be listed as a product on the company website, but at Bulldog Schwinn & Sports, the staff provides joy. Whether they are helping a child pick out a first bike or introducing an adult to paddleboarding, they hope every interaction helps a customer find happiness in a new or cherished activity.

That has been the goal since owner Mike Prager opened the business three years ago with the help of his partner in life and business, Karen Remington. With 30 years of sales and service experience, Mike wasn’t quite ready to retire. As a boat owner who lived on the water, and as a former lacrosse coach at Severna Park High School, he channeled his energy into an enterprise that has allowed him to share those passions with others.

Now, his daughter Brittany has taken an active role managing sales and service, making Bulldog a family owned and operated business. They even have a mascot, Huffy, an English bulldog that roams the store while making new friends. As Brittany explained, Bulldog Schwinn & Sports is as busy as ever.

“People are trying to get back in shape — lose the corona weight, as they say — and have fun while they’re doing it,” she said.

The store sells, services and rents bicycles, kayaks, and standup paddleboards and accessories. It also carries field hockey and lacrosse equipment.

For adults who are trying to get in shape by biking, Bulldog carries Schwinn cruisers, Schwinn Frontiers, Specialized Rockhoppers, GT Palomars and Schwinn Voyageurs. The store also carries 16-inch, 20-inch and 24-inch kids bikes. Bulldog has kayaks by Old Town, Ocean Kayaks and Crescent Kayaks. The store has BIC and Pop paddleboards.

Those are the products the store carries, but what makes Bulldog Schwinn & Sports a treasured community resource? It’s going above and beyond to make customers happy.

“It’s white-glove service,” Mike said. “We help with transportation and do deliveries. We’re always giving away paddles and life jackets because each purchase gets a freebie.”

The team isn’t out to make a quick dollar either. They encourage families to test out the gear or recreational vehicles before making a purchase.

“We have a big parking lot for kids to test their bikes,” Mike said. “You can really turn a kid loose out there without worrying about their safety.”

Brittany said, “We want you to try it before you buy it.”

Most of the business comes from referrals, which has helped Bulldog build its customer base not only in Severna Park and Pasadena but also with customers coming from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and beyond.

“It’s a really tight-knit community here,” Brittany said. “You have the Magothy and the Severn rivers, and we’re right in the middle, so you can’t miss us even if you blink.”

Bulldog offers a 10% discount to first responders and members of the military.

Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm; Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm; Sunday from 11:00am to 3:00pm; and by appointment only on Monday and Thursday.

For more information, visit the store at 405 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park, call 410-544-6453 or visit www.bulldogschwinn.com.

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