at their new space.
(Photos: Bike Farm)
Bike Farm, the plucky all-volunteer collective that educates people about how to ride and work on their bikes, is set for a major move.
Their new location, 1810 NE 1st Avenue (map) will make them much more accessible to a larger portion of Portlanders and it will give more space than their current 760 square-foot shop on NE Wygant. The location, just off N Williams and north of Broadway, also places them in a burgeoning hub of bike organizations and businesses that includes the offices of Portland Design Works, the Community Cycling Center, and Planet X/Titus.
Bike Farm volunteers say their new, 4,500 square foot space will allow them to host more events and become an even more valuable community resource. “With the increased square footage,” reads a statement about the move, “Bike Farm will become a hub (pun intended) for community events, where people can learn about and celebrate their bikes. We invite the community to volunteer, use the shop, and attend upcoming fun events.”
They plan to begin hosting frequent workshops and free indoor bike swap meets. Bike Farm is the Portland host of Frankenbike, a growing bike swap platform that started in Austin, Texas.
Bike Farm Volunteer Coordinator Diana Holland said the new space will allow the organization to fulfill its true potential: “Bike Farm has always wanted to be a place for neighbors and members of the bike community to get together and build relationships, and now we finally have the square footage to make that happen.”
The actual move will happen on August 10th and it will be done all by bike (of course). Bike Farm hopes to be officially open in their new space on August 14th. There will be a grand opening party on Saturday, August 24th from 5:00 to 10:00 pm that will feature live music, games, beer (to purchase), and a silent auction.
Keep up with the Bike Farm on their website or Facebook page.
Very cool. Great location, huge space, looks like they’ll be able to really have a lot of folks fixing their own bikes. Congrats and best wishes!
Also, I like to see my favorite nonprofits have a healthy appetite for growth. Let’s all get over there and support them in their new location — donate your time, your $, your unneeded bike parts, and watch them use it to turn more ordinary folks into ardent bicyclists.
Ted Buehler