Rex Dubois and his wife Lisa visited the South West on holidays for years before deciding to live permanently in the place they loved so much.
Mr Dubois is an avid mountain-biker with a community-minded philosophy towards the sport.
Opening his own bike shop in central Vasse seemed a logical step in his journey.
The name Humble Bicycle Co represents everything Mr Dubois envisioned for the store.
"We wanted to have customers on a first name basis, people see us out on the trail and know us by name too," he said.
In line with the rustic, community vision for the store, Mr Dubois said the build is very hand made.
A carpenter friend lent assistance, and Mr Dubois' parents made the front counter.
"Compared to what we are now, we started very small, and it's been a constant reinvestment back into what we have."
Mr Dubois said the shop was focused on encouraging people to become interested in the sport.
"We're not about having the flashiest gear and super expensive bikes.
"For us, it's about getting people on the right bike, because everyone's riding experience is different."
While the pandemic interrupted importing stock, and ordering parts, it also led to an uptake in recreational activities.
"We're grateful to have had the bike boom, but honestly it was very challenging and we're glad to be at the tail end of it.
"A lot of people jumped on entry level bikes during COVID-19 and maybe a quarter of them stuck around.
"But more people on bikes means more trails are likely to be built, which brings the sport up for everyone."
Mr Dubois said he recalled his early days in mountain bike riding, where he sought support from his own local bike shop.
"I didn't have a lot of money when I first started out.
"For me, having a couple of guys at my local store when I was growing up, who would actually give you the time of day was a massive help," he said.
Mr Dubois and his wife are high school sweethearts, and they coincidentally opened their store on Valentines Day in 2018.
He said Lisa was less of a bike rider and more of a creative.
"Lisa's done all the design work, she runs most of our social media and is our one woman HR department," he said.
Read on:
Wanting to keep everything local and personal, Humble Bicycle Co has a 'no stock images' policy for their social media.
Their feeds are filled with artistic images, taken by either Ms Dubois or local riders and photographers.
"When you see a bike on our socials, it's actually one that we stock in our store."
Mr Dubois said their social media page was a dedication to their love of mountain biking.
"A lot of businesses use social media for sales, but we use it to connect with the community.
"If people love mountain biking, eventually they will flow back to us," he said.
Mr Dubois said travelling outside of the South West always filled him with gratitude for his home.
"Wherever you go, you always feel like the place you live is better than anywhere else, you're really proud of where you're from.
"We love going and getting our coffee most mornings and they know us by name, and they know what you're up to in life.
"It's got that small vibe where people know each other and care about each other."
The six staff that run the store are all fellow mountain bikers who have had some involvement with the store prior.
"We want it to be more of a lifestyle thing, hopefully people can enjoy coming to work, rather than clocking in and getting paid.
"They can be a part of something bigger than just going to work."