(Photos © J. Maus)
Hopworks’ new BikeBar on North Williams Avenue seems to be an instant hit. The small restaurant in the ground floor of the Ecoflats apartment building between N Shaver and Failing, is just the latest new bike-centric business to spring up on what Hopworks’ owner Christian Ettinger calls the “Williams bike highway.”
“We’ve had a great response from the neighborhood so far, business is about 10% better than we expected for the first week.”
— Christian Ettinger, owner
Ettinger told me today that even with a very quiet opening, he’s thrilled with the response so far. “Business is about 10% better than we expected for the first week.” A bike racer himself, Ettinger said about 25 people from the Short Track mountain bike races out at PIR last night came straight from that event to the pub.
From the BikeBar name to the ample bike and the row of Oregon-made bike frames that hang over the bar, Hopworks owner Christian Ettinger leaves no mystery who he’s trying to appeal to.
Here’s a list of the “bike friendly features” as listed on the front page of the menu:
- A bike frame canopy over the bar featuring frames by members of the Oregon Bicycle Constructors Association
- 75 bike parking spaces (combined with staple racks on Williams and two large ribbon racks out back)
- A place to fill water bottles near the main entrance
- Loaner bike tools
- “Bike friendly take out specials”
- Loaner U-locks in case you forgot yours
- “Plug Out” exer-cycles that you can spin and generate electricity while you wait for your order.
I swung by last week and the place was buzzing. Check out the photos below for a look around…
Photos from Jim Golden (which you’ll recall from our post back in April) adorn the walls…
You can spin while you wait and generate electricity with these “Plug Out” exercycles (Ettinger says each RPM generates one watt of power that goes back into the building)…
The front is lined with staple racks…
And there’s plenty more bike parking in the back…
And a closer look at those gorgeous, Oregon-made frames above the bar…
Hopworks has planned a “HUB to Pub” grand opening event tomorrow (6/15). An organized ride (led by Portland Bicycle Tours) from the original Hopworks location (2944 SE Powell Blvd) to 3947 N Williams is set for 5:00 pm. Show up for free bike check-ups and $2 beers.
At the event, people will be encouraged to donate to local non-profit bike shop, North Portland Bikeworks. A $10 donation will get you BikeBar gear and two free beer tickets. More details at HopworksBeer.com.