More and more local businesses are eschewing the utilitarian and mundane City-issue bike racks and opting instead for a more artistic version. There are a lot of reasons this might be happening: Perhaps it’s a way stand out in the crowd (now that bike parking is no longer a novelty); or maybe it’s a way to do some clever branding.
Whatever the reason. I like it.
Who says vehicle parking has to be all function and no form? Here are a few examples I’ve seen around town recently:
(Photo: Gant Enderle)
The racks above — in the shape of gender symbols — are in front of the newly opened Planned Parenthood Regional Service Center at 3727 NE Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd. Gant Enderle of B & G Builders Inc., sent in the photo. He tells us that project designer Gunnar Langhus came up with the plan for the racks (they were fabricated by B&G). On a side note, B & G is also behind Bike Gallery’s eco-friendly Beaverton store.
(Photo: Jennifer Jako)
This beautiful rack is in front of Lovejoy Bakery at 939 Northwest 10th Ave. in the Pearl District. It was created by Fix, a North Portland-based design studio. Jennifer Jako from Fix sent in the photo and said the inspiration came from Dan Griffin, the head baker. “He’s an avid cyclist and requested a rack that would accommodate a lot of bikes.”
This nifty rack is in front of a dentist’s office on the corner of N. Interstate and Jessup. I don’t much about it but I do know that it’s my kid’s favorite rack — tooth fairy parking! (That is, when she too tired to fly.)
If you’re a business owner and want to install an art rack, visit the City of Portland’s “Non-Standard Bicycle Racks” website. They’ve got all the details on the process, getting the permit, finding the racks, and so on.