Re: [CR]John Barous Stiffed me for 2K!

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From: <hersefan@comcast.net>
To: "Mike Schmidt" <mdschmidt@patmedia.net>, <kurt@fineartscrimshaw.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]John Barous Stiffed me for 2K!
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 21:19:15 +0000
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

When I owned Bicycle Classics inc., John stiffed us for 2K. I had a deal with him to buy 50K or so of product in waves. He kept sending me used bits instead of new, SR cranks with missing chainrings, "NOS Schwinn Paramounts" with plenty of wear and more issues. Not to mention I'd pay him and wait forever to get the stuff.

He then complained that I wasn't ordering enough and was failing to live up to my end of the bargin. Of course I wasn't - cause he was not meeting his obligations to me. The last check I sent him (I think it was 2K) he just kept. I could have gone after him, and I should have, but just wasn't worth the hassle at the time.

Afterwards, Greg Honn (known to many folks) said I was nuts to have dealt with John that way. He is a guy that you just pay cash to, get the stuff that moment, and leave - cause otherwise it would get messy.

It seems he owned a shop in NY that went bust years ago. He had creditors lined up - and he emptied the shop in the middle of the night and stiffed everyone. He has a reputation for this behavior.

Mike Kone in Boulder CO


-------------- Original message --------------


> Anybody want me to run his MVR and credit report?
> Mike Schmidt
> Stirling, NJ
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kurt Sperry"
> Cc:
> Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 3:09 PM
> Subject: Re: [CR]John Barous (bajajohn1959atmsn) in FLA
>
>
> > Here's more:
> > *John's* *Bicycle* *Market* 707 Cleveland Street, Clearwater, FL 33755
> > (727) 442-2453
> >
> > Googled it, couldn't be much easier!
> > Kurt Sperry
> > Bellingham WA
> >
> >
> > On 9/16/05, Mike Schmidt wrote:
> > >
> > > Lou, I think i kept a copy of the yellow pages listing in my desk at
> work
> > .
> > > I will try to find it on Monday.
> > > Mike Schmidt
> > > Stirling, NJ
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Louis Schulman"
> > > To: "Mike Schmidt" ; ;
> > >
> > > Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 2:56 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [CR]John Barous (bajajohn1959atmsn) in FLA
> > >
> > >
> > > > This is very interesting. When this person began selling on eBay, it
> wa
> > s
> > > evident he was in Tampa. I contacted him to express interest in doing
> > > business with him in person (I am in Tampa, too.)
> > > >
> > > > He refused to tell me the name of his shop, or to otherwise meet me in
> > > person. I decided at that point he was a "problem." I therefore always
> > > boycotted his auctions. What was the name of his shop, and where was it?
> > > Tampa is a small town, and I don't know about any bike shop going out of
> > > business recently.
> > > >
> > > > Louis Schulman
> > > > Tampa, FL
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Mike Schmidt
> > > > Sent: Sep 16, 2005 1:20 PM
> > > > To: gpvb1@comcast.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > > > Subject: Re: [CR]John Barous (bajajohn1959atmsn) in FLA
> > > >
> > > > Hey Greg,
> > > >
> > > > I have purchased a few items from John such as a pair of on-topic Nisi
> > > rims.
> > > > I had an opportunity to speak via phone at his bike shop in Tampa
> > > however
> > > > about 4 months ago, while in Tampa on business, I stopped by his shop
> >
> > > and
> > > it
> > > > was closed, out of business. I wrote him on his ebay address and he
> > > > confirmed that he closed the shop. That is all I know at this point.
> > > >
> > > > Mike Schmidt
> > > > Stirling, NJ
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From:
> > > > To:
> > > > Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 1:15 PM
> > > > Subject: [CR]John Barous (bajajohn1959atmsn) in FLA
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Anyone know his status? He seems to have fallen off the edge of the
> > > earth,
> > > > and there some inklings of family issues or some such thing in his
> > > recent
> > > > eBay feedback.
> > > >
> > > > Greg Parker
> > > > Dexter, Michigan
> > > >
> > multipart/alternative
> > text/plain (text body -- kept)
> > text/html
> > ---