We're lucky here in the SF Bay Area because most business districts now have good bike racks on the sidewalks. Ribbon rack or upside down U's provide excellent anchors for U locks and chains. It's very functional and aesthetically pleasing - much better than the old locking rack systems popular in the late 80's. Overly complex bike locking "docks" with loops, sliding latches and some even had chains. And the worst were the concrete "feet" which had a slot for your wheel and a little loop at the bottom.
At home I've sunk eye-bolts into the studs in my garage. I run a U lock from the bolt to my bike; this secures the first bike and prevents the bolt from being unscrewed. From there, I run an motorcycle anti-theft chain through the adjacent bikes. Works pretty well.
I am strongly of the opinion that a bike should ALWAYS be locked. I hear "those in the know" say, "Never lock your bike, it'll give you a false sense of security!" Blah, blah, blah. I worked bike retail for almost 20 years and I heard numerous stories of people being burglarized. And guess how the thief got away after the burglary? Yep, on the victim's bike! f you own a bike and a lock, why not leave the lock locked to the bike wherever the bike's stored? So, for those of you with bikes "too nice to lock," if you don't lock it, a thief may really appreciate your attitude some day if you don't take my advice!