Wheeler dealers
Sisters set off on cycling business ad-venture

Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 11/99) - Lauren Kosta and Marita Obst are hoping to turn their life-long friendship into a lucrative partnership.

Kosta, 13, and Obst, 12, are peddling peddles -- having recently opened up their L&M Cycle bike rental business.

Buddies since daycare, the pair became sisters in 1997 when Kosta's father, Bob, married Obst's mother, Mary. Going into business together simply seemed natural.

"We just thought we'd start a business because we had a few bikes already," said Obst on Monday. "I'm going to Europe later this summer and thought it would be great to make a little extra money."

Obst said when the family got together two years ago, they discovered that between their new and old bikes they had a wealth of wheels at their disposal.

Kosta said Tuesday that because their major baby-sitting client had moved out of town last year, the sisters began looking for another way to earn money. And rather than simply cash in by selling their fleet of 11 bikes, they chose to whip them into shape and rent them out.

"We got our business licence approved by the city in one day," said Obst. "That was pretty good because we were told it usually takes a while, but most people were amazed two girls were trying to open their own business, so I guess they were impressed."

The Weledeh Catholic school student said because the partners' natural strengths complement one another, she doesn't foresee any friction in the business.

"We get along pretty well," she said, "but she's the one that's better at math and I'm better at LA (language arts), so she's the one who's writing down all the details while I'm doing the signs and posters."

Kosta, who attends Mildred Hall school, confirmed her aptitude for number crunching but added she hopes L&M will produce more than just a monetary profit.

"I'm like the accountant and find math fun," she said, "but the best part for me so far is the learning experience that's going to make it easier getting out into the work force or dealing with income tax -- and it's fun working with bikes."

Apparently, Kosta's passion for peddling was passed on by her father, who said he began taking her along for rides in a bike carrier when she was still a toddler.

And while Bob and Mary warned the girls to expect more hard work than pay-off in their first year of operation, they also pledged their support -- though Bob qualified his abilities.

"They think I'm the main mechanic," he said, "but I'm really just the maintenance man and can fix only the minor things."