(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Velo Cult Bike Shop will celebrate its grand opening with a party this Saturday. The shop’s owner Sky Boyer and his close-knit crew of employees, have worked tirelessly since January to transform a former antique mall on NE 42nd Avenue in the Hollywood District into what is poised to be one of Portland most engaging and welcoming bike shops.
At a special sneak peek party last Friday, it was clear that my hunches about these guys were right: Velo Cult is not your average bike shop. The first thing you’ll likely notice is that when you walk in the front doors there’s nothing to buy. That’s because Boyer sees his business mission as evenly split between selling bikes/parts and creating community/sharing bike culture.
Instead of racks of clothes and bikes, when you enter Velo Cult you’ll step onto spacious wooden floors and a window-seating area, wooden bar with local beer on tap, and Mexican food to go with it. Near the front window there’s a free photo booth where customers can pose with friends and have the images automatically sent to the shop’s Flickr page. In the service area, there are no walls between employees and customers. In fact, Boyer has set up each workstand with a bench and table for customers to sit at so they can chat with mechanics.
Near the service area is another shop highlight: the 1500 pound drawbridge that folds down off the wall to create a stage for live music. There’s also a projector and a screen in the main entrance area where movies and other events will be held.
Another thing you should know about Boyer is that he owns one of the most comprehensive collections of rare vintage mountain bikes anywhere. The basement of the shop is a veritable bike museum, where you almost trip over one-of-a-kind historic bikes that will leave every true bike nerd’s mouth agape.
I have a feeling Velo Cult will become a real treasure for Portland. Stop by for the grand opening this Saturday (3/24) starting at 6:00 pm. More details in the flyer below…
