(Photos © J. Maus)
Bill Fasano is Portland’s newest bike shop proprietor. Green Garage Bicycle Repair just swung open its doors last week in the red-brick industrial building across the street from Widmer Brewery on N. Mississippi and Interstate.
Fasano, 38, is an Oregon native who grew up in West Linn and started racing bikes and working in local bike shops back in the mid 1990s. After leaving a job at Bike n’ Hike in 2000, he worked as an assistant project manager for a local home builder. Those were the boom times in the housing business, he told me when I stopped his shop this morning. “I was making good money, then all the sudden it stopped.”
Fasano fell victim to the housing market collapse and has been “self-unemployed” for the past five years, working part time in bike shops and doing remodeling projects as an independent carpenter to make ends meet.
It wasn’t until he connected with a friend-of-a-friend at a party that the opportunity to open his own bike shop arose.
Fasano’s shops is currently just in the northern part of the large brick building, but he already has plans to expand. His vision (the liquor license is already in the mail) is to open a bike shop/lounge/bar combo that shows bike racing on the big screen and becomes a community meeting space. Stay tuned for updates or swing by his shop for a tour of the building.
For now, he’s open for repairs and he’s got basic supplies for sale.
“It’s humble beginnings for sure.”
Green Garage Bicycle Repair is at 2410 N. Mississippi Avenue and is open 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. If you plan to drop by, be aware that the shop is closed each day from noon to 2:00 pm for a group ride that everyone is invited to join.
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Congrats and good luck.
thanks, please stop by and say hi!
Glad to have you in the neighborhood! Congratulations!
Thank you. Please wave as you ride by and stop in once too.
Paris Roubaix on a big screen? I’ll be there.
Yes. I love the classics! The old and new. If you have a favorite race to watch, bring in a DVD and some friends and we will enjoy it together. Sadly There is no ability to sell food or alcohol in this building. I was dreaming out loud. But I am surrounded by Widmer, The White Eagle, Gotham Tavern, and a nice little coffee stand. (above Gotham) We can put it on pause and take refreshment breaks with the neighbors as needed. Remember that I take a 2 hour lunch to ride most every day at noon, and I would like people to just show up. The pace and route is unimportant. I just want to pedal around Portland in the daytime.
-Thanks
-Bill
I’m guessing conservatively this is bike shop #70 in PDX metro?
I have no idea. I hope mine becomes your favorite one to come too. I am open very early so a customer could drop off their bike for service, catch the MAX, and continue on too work by public transportation. The goal is to have the service done by the time they return home. No time off work. No extra car trip. And if it can be “done-while-you-wait”, I want to provide a cycling centric space to wait in. I am very open to new ideas, and The Green Garage is a great place to do it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article and this website.
-Bill
There are a lot of bike shops in this town, but getting your bike repaired in a reasonable amount of time can be challenging. I needed some work done a couple of years ago and it was going to be over a week until it was able to get my bike repaired. Heck, the more the better as sometimes I need help now and it is nice to have a shop to stop in and see if it can get it repaired quickly.
Bill, where did all that fuzzy grey stuff on your face come from? I guess its been a while since Ive seen you… its a long way to the top as they say, but good luck! I will have to ride down Russell to meet you for happy hour sometime.
The beard is something you grow when you are involved in a very important project. when it is done, you shave it off. You should ride down at noon and we will go for a spin someday. Send me some of your extra customers, Because if I had all your money, I would just light mine on fire!
Cheers.
(I assume this is Bill Larson. If not, please ignore the last comment.)
Bill, welcome to the neighborhood! I love the daily ride idea! Here’s to humble beginnings and their rewards! Wake
Good luck Bill, I’ll drop by and bring some PBR’s! Of course I’ll wait to you get that liquor license in hand. 😉 Can’t wait to see the new digs!
Tap the local big companys like Daimler Trucks (aka Freightliner) and Adidas. Lots of cycle commuting traffic on Interstate by Mississippi, though mainly in the summer months! Uncle
The fact that the north-south MAX line is 1/2 block from you is so helpful for anyone needing to drop of a bike but get to work. Best of Luck with your shop.