Fayetteville clothing retailer displays Janus motorcycle

Shoppers at upscale men’s clothing retailer Walker Brothers in Fayetteville may have noticed a recent addition on the showroom floor. Only you don’t wear it — you ride it.

Walker Brothers owner John Cole has a brand-new motorcycle made by Goshen, Ind.-based manufacturer Janus Motorcycles on display inside the store at 577 E. Millsap Road.

The Halcyon 450 model inside Walker Brothers is accompanied by a QR code that redirects to janusmotorcycles.com for more information. The handmade bike retails for approximately $15,000, and the wait time from order to delivery can take up to nine months.

“We think John has the kind of audience that appreciates what we are trying to do with this bike,” said Fayetteville entrepreneur Mark Zweig. “John Cole is an old friend who taught for years at the [University of Arkansas] about selling. Walker Brothers is the best men’s clothing store, by far, in our area, and they cater to a higher-end market that appreciates style and quality. The same goes for our bikes. It’s all about style and quality.”

Recently, Zweig took on an advisory/brand ambassador role with Janus to help the company grow. He also plans to buy a minority stake in the business, which launched in 2011.

Zweig’s business insight is backed by nearly 50 years of professional experience as a successful entrepreneur and small business owner. One of his former businesses, Zweig Group, is how he connected several years ago with Janus co-founder Richard Worsham, an architect. Zweig Group is a media, publishing and consulting company for the architecture and engineering industries.

“One day, [Worsham] asked if I would be interested in growing the company to the next level,” said Zweig, who describes his role as multifaceted. “We are creating a new board, new business plan, new dealer network [Janus is direct-to-consumer] and new models.”

Zweig said Janus fills a niche motorcycle category, one that focuses on the experience of riding and classical design.

Janus’ unique designs are very retro, harkening back to the 1920s. The handmade craftsmanship and the ability to order a bike with a wide range of colors and customization has earned the company a cult-like following. In 2022, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named Janus Motorcycles the first “Coolest Thing Made in Indiana” contest winner.

A self-described “car and motorcycle” guy, Zweig said the Janus partnership integrates his hobby with a passion for design and business.

“I have a Halcyon 250 and ride it to campus and back regularly, and it always draws attention,” said Zweig, who teaches entrepreneurship in the UA’s Sam M. Walton College of Business. “I can’t park in the parking lot without people wanting to talk to me about it.”

Janus bikes have been featured on the television series “Jay Leno’s Garage” and in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Esquire Magazine.

It is also worth underscoring Janus’ manufacturing hub in Goshen. According to recent research by the “think and do tank” Heartland Forward in Bentonville, the Elkhart-Goshen metro is the No. 2 most economically dynamic metro region in the U.S.