Pacific Northwest - Open a new bikeshop please!

OK - I know this is kind of a weird topic, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case there just happens to be someone who could respond to this. I live in SE Portland on the east side of Mt. Tabor in the Montavilla neighborhood (Montavilla = Mount Tabor Village: I just learned that.) Anyway, if you know east Portland, you know this little strip is just taking off - hip places opening, a definite vibe in the air. The place is getting downright fun. In a five-block strip along Stark from 77th to 82nd we've got Flying Pie Pizza (Portland's best pizza http://www.flying-pie.com/) the Bipartisan cafe (serves Stumptown and home of Portland's best pie according to Willamette Week http://www.bipartisancafe.com/), the recently renovated Academy Theater (which serves Flying Pie and Terminal Gravity IPA!)
http:/www.academytheaterpdx.com/ and opening TONIGHT, chef Adam Sappington's (of Wildwood fame) new restaurant, The Country Cat (check this preview http://www.pdxfoodpress.com/?p=579) I was there for the staff shakedown Wednesday night and I have never had Fried Chicken so good (yes, fried chicken, his "signature dish" I hear). Opening next week is the new world headquarters of Grenade LLC (snowboard gloves, etc) http://www.grenadegloves.com/ Check out the headware section - they have a new hat called...the Mt Tabor! And then there's the Wednesday evening rides right up the street in Mt Tabor park.

All this to say the neighborhood is ripe for a bike shop. I guarantee you at least one customer (me) there is space for lease, a just renovated building on the north side between 81st and 82nd, just across from Grenade - actually divided into more than one space, 1000-2500 sq. ft. There's another very cool space on the block between Bipartisan and Country Cat, but Peter (owner of Bipartisan) told me Romo's Mexican restaurant (on Hawthorne) has leased the space so... If you've ever wanted to open a bike shop ( I have but I've got no business sense, and hungry kids to feed:o ) here's your place. Want to move to Portland and start a business? I'll even work summers and weekends for you for free (or nearly). Come on, this could be your neighborhood too:D

I would love to.....but there is that whole problem of capital......

Hey mtmann,

Have you thought of contacting Jonathan of Bike Portland (http://bikeportland.org/index.php) and see if he'd do a story about your emerging bikey neighborhood? Perhaps he could observe there is no bike shop as of yet.

Hey Donnamb,

Yeah, already done (great minds think alike!) Haven't heard back yet. I've just been mulling it over for days. it's really the perfect location and the vibe here is so ideal. A good, old fashioned neighborhood bike shop would fit so well, someplace small, unpretentious (you know who you are), a place where bikers can get help and feel comfortable hanging out. I know I'm just dreaming here, and maybe the business just doesn't work like that anymore, but I think of the small places like Veloce, or Cyclepath,or the Bike repair Collective, a shop where you can take a seat, be offered a cup of coffee (No styrofoam - Goodwill mugs with bike-themed designs!) Sit and watch the wrenches in the back and feel like the help actually has time for you. If this happened here, I could die a happy man. Well, not yet.

that's just a few blocks from the 205 bike path, isn't it?

About 10 blocks so yeah, it's close

Well, I imagine all the coverage about the Mayor cutting funding for the Bike Master Plan has been keeping him busy. Perhaps when this all gets resolved one way or the other, you can remind him.

Hey Performance is just on the other side of the highway.....no coffee I guess..
On a serious note even the nice shop on 60th and Division, Mt. Tabor Sports had to close down and they had coffee too.
I think there are plenty of shops in Portland.
Also plenty of restaurants and coffee shops....
As far as the fried chicken I heard is very good but also 18$ so I might have to wait for this one....
Ciao
Paolo

Don't get me started on Performance. My next door neighbor, who is a great guy and an excellent mechanic, works there so I don't want to just blast them. And they are friendly. But what's up with the Chinese bikes with Italian names??? And paying a fee like a membership in order to get a "discount" has always stuck in my craw. the list goes on... We also have a Bike Gallery over on Division and they're OK. Still, to my thinking, both are just confirmation of why Montavilla needs a true neighborhood bike shop.

P.S. - I know it's spendy, but I'm betting you'll find it $18 well spent:p

Mike

Veloce Bikes on Hawthorne is a great, extremely "neighborhoody" bike shop that specializes in customer service. Demetri is the owner, a master fitter, has been in the biz for probably over 30yrs or more and does a great job going up against the giants of Portland bike shops. Excellent selection of both new and used road bike, fixies and serious track bikes.
I live clear out in Banks which is 20 minutes west of Hillsboro on 26 and I drive from all the way to Veloce when I have a problem my skills can't fix. It's nearly an hour drive at times depending on the traffic going up and over Sylvan hill. In the course of my drive I pass the following shops: Performance, 2 Bike Galleries, River City and a couple other smaller shops I'm not familiar with.

Opening a business, any business, is a major challenge anytime but especially in today's economic climate. Keep in mind, bike shops have one of the lowest average profit margin of any "sports" store. I know this because I was a shop owner myself many years ago.

Anyway, even though Veloce isn't right next door to you it is a great option out your way and keeps you away from the "big box" stores.

Ride safe!

KRhea
PortlandVelo.net

Thanks - and I agree. Demetri is my model for how to run a shop, and Veloce (and Sellwood Cycle) just about as close to perfect in my mind as a neighborhood bikeshop can be. He's always got time and answers with patience regardless of how dumb the question is. Another thing I think the ideal bike shop (like Veloce) needs is a mix of good new bikes and good used/consignment bikes, otherwise the shop is in danger (as many are) of being the "Latest Stupid Biking Fad Bike Shop." Some things bike related never (or should never) go out of style and Veloce and Sellwood do well to mix tradition with the best of the new.

Mike

Sounds like Portland is WAY more bike friendly than Seattle... :(

On a serious note even the nice shop on 60th and Division, Mt. Tabor Sports had to close down and they had coffee too.

Even though that shop was only about 1/4 mile from where I live, I only went there a few times. not because of any flaw in the way they ran things--by all accounts their service was good--but it was just in the wrong direction for me. I usually head west from my house on 52nd, and the repair shop on Belmont is just more convenient, even though it's the same distance.

I was still bummed out when it closed though. I had been trying to support it by buying tubes and stuff, but since I rarely went past it I'd forget it was there :(

BTW, I'd much rather have this small "true neighborhood cycle vs large bike shop (Performance, River City, Bike Gallery)" debate than be in a place where there were few shops because nobody rode, wouldn't you?

Veloce Bikes on Hawthorne is a great, extremely "neighborhoody" bike shop that specializes in customer service. Demetri is the owner, a master fitter, has been in the biz for probably over 30yrs or more and does a great job going up against the giants of Portland bike shops. Excellent selection of both new and used road bike, fixies and serious track bikes.
And, oddly enough, he is one of the top Breezer dealers in the PNW. I live about a mile and a half from Veloce, so that is where I bought mine. He also sells those inexpensive Pake commuter bikes. I really appreciate his committment to his transportational cyclist customers. With that kind of customer mix, the variety of people in his store can get very interesting at times. :eek:

As to a neighborhood shop further out, I'm wondering if this will become feasible in the next few years. As rents increase as you go further into the city core, it wouldn't surprise me to see a well-established LBS move further out for financial reasons. I also think it woluld help if they do get a good north-south bikeway established in the 70's.