Spirit of the Entrepreneur: Redline Cycle Center

Published 1:00 pm Sunday, March 24, 2019

VALDOSTA — Being an entrepreneur isn’t always easy and everyone does it a little differently. Some open online stores, while others open brick-and-mortar storefronts.

Some go all in and invest their lives into a new venture, while others start a new business as something to do on the side. Regardless of the type, entrepreneurs help drive the local economy.

Ed Hileman first came to Valdosta in 1985. Originally from the Pittsburgh area, Hileman joined the Air Force in 1969 and was in the Philippines before coming to Georgia.

Moody Air Force Base was his last station before retirement in 1989, and Hileman wanted to start a business that would carry him into retirement.

So, he opened Southern Ocean Sports, a dive shop, in the Ashurst Plaza while he was still working for the military.

“I goofed around for my first year here,” he said. “Then, I wanted to start my own business and I wanted to move back out West but that never happened because I opened up my business here.”

After a year of running Southern Ocean Sports in Ashurst Plaza, he moved it to its current location on North Ashley Street.

The current location used to be a now-defunct Mexican restaurant that Hileman frequented.

To help get the business going, Hileman started a tanning business. At one point, Hileman said he owned the largest tanning salon under one roof with 25 tanning beds.

“The tanning salon picked up and got better and better,” he said. “We had the best tanning beds around.”

In 1996, Hileman bought the building he had been operating out of for 10 years. Then, he opened Redline.

Eventually the tanning business began to dwindle as the cost of living began to rise in the early 2000s. Hileman has since closed the tanning shop.

In 2008, Hileman made an agreement with David Stone, the current operator of Southern Ocean Sports, so Stone would take over the scuba diving business.

Redline, however, is still owned and operated by Hileman. Since opening Redline, Hileman has expanded the business slowly through the years. What started as a small parts store that had too much overhead to turn a profit is now Hileman’s primary job.

Since he closed the tanning salon, Hileman said he is looking to open the walls to add a display area for scooters and motorcycles.

Redline Cycle Center, 1603 N. Ashley St., is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call (229) 242-7223. 

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.