Pedicabs in Newport Facing Major Economic Challenge - Remy Kritter, Guest MINDSETTER™

Pedicabs in Newport Facing Major Economic Challenge - Remy Kritter, Guest MINDSETTER™

How is the alcohol industry's decline affecting more than just bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and alcohol companies? I am the Owner and Operator of Pioneer Pedicab in Newport, RI. For the past three summers, I've been able to provide seasonal employment to six independent contractors who rely on this income to help pay their bills.

I've also prided myself as an operator as well, demonstrating myself as a servant leader. Working alongside my riders allows me to put myself in their shoes and vice versa. I was actually once in their shoes. I used to work as an independent contractor for a different pedicab company for five summers before I was able to obtain my own business licenses and pedicabs.

My business is structured so that a large portion of my income comes from OOH Media campaigns.

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That income helps me pay for all my expenses and puts me in the green before my team, and I even start riding.

Unfortunately, in 2026, the income that I once relied on to keep my business afloat has vanished. In the past, I've worked with companies in the alcohol industry, but according to recent alcohol consumption trends, the alcohol industry in general is seeing a major decline. I don't see this as a dip in the market; the alcohol industry is suffering year over year. In 2022, roughly 67% of adults were drinking. In 2023, the number jumped down to 62%, followed by another decline in 2024 at 58%. The last time alcohol consumption was this low was in 1939. 

The most shocking number is the percentage of consumption of alcohol among adults in 2025. That number has dropped to a staggering low of 54% consumption. This is a record low, even lower than alcohol consumption in 1958, which was recorded at 55%.

In my opinion, these trends are going to continue to decline. Major driving forces in this decline include studies released by WHO (World Health Organization), Millennial and Gen Z drinking habits and non-alcoholic beverages have started to become healthy competition demonstrating a complete market shift.

This is catastrophic for my business for several reasons. Any sort of change in market trends completely restructures the resources allocated to that industry. The alcohol industry is cutting back on marketing to lower expenses yet the non-alcoholic beer industry is not large enough yet to invest in marketing that alcohol companies once did. I even attempted to pivot into different markets such as energy drink companies, dispensaries, betting applications, charter companies, law offices, and even political campaigns, but was not successful.

As a pragmatic businessman, I plan on doing everything in my power to find a solution in order to keep Pioneer Pedicab alive for as long as I possibly can. I am still currently actively seeking an OOH media partner to recognize this market change and the massive exposure it can generate for their business. With a low CPM, much higher recall rate than static billboards, and eye level impressions; There is no scrolling past or skipping a pedicab ad. Pioneer

Pedicab operates in the most centralized corridors of Newport. We typically work anywhere from 3 pm to 2 am, allowing us to cover a majority of the city, which helps us provide strong exposure. My team and I operate anywhere from 24 to 30 days out of the month, depending on the weather conditions. This upcoming 2026 tourist season in Newport is expected to exceed 2024’s record highs, even with rising gas prices and high airline ticket prices. Factors such as the FIFA World Cup spillover, America’s 250th anniversary, 150 years of Newport Polo, Tennis Hall of Fame inductions including Roger Federer and Mary Carillo, New hotels and restaurants, and, of course, the famous Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival are expected to create a monumental level of tourism.

Less income means I need to make up for the lost revenue, which includes increasing the rent percentage that I charge my independent contractors. It also means I need to charge my passengers more, which is something I never wanted to do. This cascading effect hurts not only me but my riders, my passengers, and my ability to provide a fun, affordable, and educational experience. When I entered this business, the cost of everything had gone up significantly year over year as well. Storage, insurance, parts, labor and licensing fees have all increased. Being a relatively young home and business owner, recent economic trends have squeezed me to the point where it's been tough to get ahead. 

My father owned his own business for 23 years before passing away at the age of 55 years old. My dream has always been to follow in his footsteps, but under recent economic pressure, this has become increasingly more difficult. With that being said, I will never give up on Pioneer Pedicab. Like my Dad always said, “We are Kritters, not quitters”.