Sad to see Gear Works Cyclery in Leominster closing it's doors at months end. I've always supported our local shops since riding in 1977 and have watched many close over the last few years. A lot of these shops did a lot for the local community and will be missed. I've watched to many people use the shop as a sizing outlet, for ordering off the internet. The shops getting pretty Bare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4hO_T8tasA

I just learned about their closing from my stepdad. I was sad to see Bicycle Alley close near me, in Worcester, but then they reopened as Bikes+Life. I like them so far. I love Fritz's Bike Shop on the other side of Worcester, but I no longer live near there.

Fortunately here in Boston, I’m familiar with several well-regarded shops in existence since the 1980s-90s such as:

• Back Bay Bikes (my LBS)
• Harris Cyclery (home shop of Sheldon Brown)
• Cycle Loft (where I bought Bridgestone RB-1 in the 1980s)
• Community Bicycling Supply (sponsor of a racing friend’s team)
• Ferris Wheels and Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain
• And the newest, Landry’s, a chain of four stores

These are just the one’s I have done business with. In a compact city, such as Boston, they are all within a relatively short distance of each other, though Cycle Loft is about 10 miles from central Boston.

Plus loads of newer shops, most finding their way.

BTW, Cycle Loft has moved from Cambridge St, across the street from Herb Chambers Honda, to Lowell St, in the former Kitchens Etc. building (which ironically self-inflicted when its own end when it tried to compete online and way undercut its own brick and mortar stores) near Market Basket.

But we also lost a bunch of great places when the Mass Miracle went psssssst, and when the tech bubble burst, and when the housing bubble burst.

It doesn't take much to take many very loved small businesses out - a rent increase far larger then it should be at the wrong time, a Big Box store here, a few customers that browse but then buy onlne there. Add in the echoes of an airforce base shutdown still being felt today.

Sigh.

But love the video of Fitchburg/Leominster streets. Sorry that too much sadness with small buisinesses up your way.

-mr. bill

I used Fritz's back in the day when it was in West Boylston. I'll have to check out Bikes+Life when I start riding to Worcester when the weather gets hotter.