by PIDC
August 6, 2018
Categories: 60 Stories, Future Places of Work,
“We launched the business without outside funding, but we were determined to advance the experience of motorcyclists in the US,”
RevZilla was founded by dedicated motorcycle riders, Anthony Bucci, Nick Auger, and Matt Kull in their apartment in Old City in 2007. After not being able to find motorcycle items they needed online, the group of friends recognized that their combined skills in internet technology and marketing coupled with a shared passion for motorcycles could help them blaze a path of their own in the industry.
“We launched the business without outside funding, but we were determined to advance the experience of motorcyclists in the US,” says Matt Kull, who, in November 2017, was named CEO of Comoto Holdings, the parent company of RevZilla and Cycle Gear.
Since RevZilla’s inception, Matt and the crew’s sole goal was to bring the best possible shopping experience to any motorcycle enthusiast who visits them, in-store or online. With this goal in mind, the company is constantly offering up an irresistible platter of large and rider-specific product selections to customers. Joining their vast selection of state-of-the-art products is REAX, a new apparel brand of riding jackets, pants, and gloves, focused on thoughtful design features within a casual, refined aesthetic that riders will appreciate.
Even with their tremendous inventiveness in the industry, there is a lot of competition out there which all have overlapping product selections, but RevZilla’s straight-forward and fair customer service approach sets them apart. “One of the core reasons RevZilla was successful over the years was through a relentless focus on customer experience,” says Matt. “While we have our own products today, as we grew the business, in many cases, we were selling the same products as our competitors. We had to differentiate, and we did that by offering a better experience for our customers than anyone else. Under promise and over deliver has been a mantra.”
[/av_textblock]
[av_hr class=’default’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=”]
[/av_one_full]
[av_two_fifth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Their products aren’t the only standouts of the business. Their fun work culture has gained a reputation of its own, and the world is taking notice. As a company, they have been ranked #1 in Philly.com’s “Top Workplaces” (2016 & 2017), listed #10 on Fortune magazine’s “Best Places to Work for Millennials,” ranked by Fortune as one of the “Best Places to Work in Retail” (2016 & 2017), and listed as one of “Philly’s Coolest Companies” (2015) by Philadelphia magazine. “We take into consideration almost every decision and provide an opportunity for feedback before any changes or transitions are made. Hard work goes noticed and is given recognition, and management keeps an open door to discuss almost anything,” explains one millennial employee in Fortune’s feature of the company. Moreover, RevZilla’s gear was highly recommended to travelers this year in the Forbes article, “These 10 Tips Will Make Your First Road Trip Unforgettable.”
[/av_textblock]
[/av_two_fifth]
[av_three_fifth min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=”]
[av_video src=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0uhV65dTSU’ format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ custom_class=”]
[/av_three_fifth]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=”]
[av_hr class=’default’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=”]
[/av_one_full]
[av_one_half first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
With a dedicated fan base and staff, it’s no wonder RevZilla continues to succeed after over a decade in business. A part of this success was due to the enormous space upgrade to a location in the modern 1,200-acre urban development, the Navy Yard. Up until 2013, RevZilla operated out of a dilapidated warehouse in South Philly. The founders jokingly called it a motorcycle speakeasy at the time since they shared the space with numerous Mummer’s clubs and visitors had to ring a doorbell to get in. At times they found burnt out cars in front of their doors. It was definitely not an ideal retail space. As the business grew, they were ready for a more mature, ideal retail space. That’s when they sought out help from PIDC.
“PIDC has always been incredibly proactive with their support of the business. PIDC has never been bashful about making any helpful introductions or stepping in to help navigate through any potential roadblocks,” says Matt. “With our first building in the Navy Yard, PIDC was really instrumental in helping us find an off market space that was perfect for our fulfillment center needs. That kept us from having to relocate outside of the city. We have two buildings in the Navy Yard now, and probably, without PIDC, that second building would not have been in the Navy Yard right in Philadelphia.” RevZilla’s hip, new space in the Navy Yard was also recently recognized in the Philadelphia Business Journal article, “Cool Offices: Navy Yard-Based Motorcycle Gear Retailer.”
The company had around 45 employees when they first came to the Navy Yard, but thanks to the new office space and Navy Yard Fulfillment Center, the company has increased to around 250 Philadelphia-based employees and growing. With two new spaces fit for rockstar employees, a new CEO at the helm, and major national media traction, RevZilla is heavily recruiting for more talent in order to accommodate their growing business. Zoom on over to RevZilla’s careers page to join the ride and work for one of the “Best Places to Work in Retail.”
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_half]
[av_one_half min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_breaking=” mobile_display=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
“With our first building in the Navy Yard, PIDC was really instrumental in helping us find an off market space that was perfect for our fulfillment center needs. That kept us from having to relocate outside of the city.”
[/av_textblock]
[av_gallery ids=’5545,5544′ style=’big_thumb’ preview_size=’portfolio’ crop_big_preview_thumbnail=’avia-gallery-big-crop-thumb’ thumb_size=’portfolio’ columns=’2′ imagelink=’lightbox’ lazyload=’avia_lazyload’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
[av_button label=’Read More About The Navy Yard’ link=’manually,https://www.navyyard.org/’ link_target=’_blank’ size=’large’ position=’center’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
[/av_one_half]