(Photo: StarbucksMelody.com/Metrofiets)
Evolution Fresh, a California juice company purchased by Starbucks back in November, opened its first cafe on Monday in Bellevue, Washington. Why is this on the front page of BikePortland? Well, it turns out that Evolution is seriously considering offering bike delivery for their stores and to test out the idea they’ve bought several cargo bikes made by Northeast-Portland based Metrofiets Cargo Bikes.
According to the StarbucksMelody.com blog, Evolution is “ambitiously thinking about a small local delivery option.”
Metrofiets co-owner Phillip Ross delivered the bikes to his new customers and said they are very enthusiastic about them. “It’s gratifying to be working with such high profile company that ‘gets it,'” Ross said. “Evolution knows that cargo bikes mean business and as such have made cargo bikes a key part of their retail strategy.”
Ross is mum about the nature of his sales and contract with the company, but he did share that Evolution has high hopes of opening more stores in the Pacific Northwest and that, “Of course, we look forward to working closely with them as they grow the business.”
— Read more about Evolution Fresh and the Starbucks connection in this recent Associated Press story.
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Too bad these bikes are being deployed in Bellevue. Downtown speed limits on all streets are 30+ mph. There are no bike lanes. There aren’t even sharrows. It’s suburbia masquerading as an urban center (tall buildings). People do not know how to drive with bikes there.
Bellevue, Washington: The site of a crash between I and a stop sign running Chevy Suburban that almost ended my life.
Bellevue, Washington: Terrifying.
They really should have piloted this somewhere else for sure.
Devin,
Maybe it’ll be especially good, rather than too bad, to have cargo bikes in such a place? These kinds of bikes attract great attention. Any bike that causes drivers and their kids to wave rather than honk, or to honk Hello, is probably going to start changing attitudes, I think. There’s a long way to go, for sure.
that’s my hope as well… these will be working bicycles in a light color delivering juice… getting mad at them being on the road would be like getting mad at a tractor on the road in farm country…
Congratulations to Metrofiets – a fantastic account and a great-lookin’ bike!
Exactly what Shannon said. Congrats!
Thank you all for the kind words and emails.
Devin, I hear your concerns. I would go on, but I think Joe said it best in his response above. Thanks Joe!
Roving traffic-calming devices.
Could this be the beginning of Portland’s bike cargo manufacturers becoming part of Portland’s traded sectors?
Very exciting news. Congrats to Metrofiets.
Yes. We’ve been exporting cargo bikes since 2010.
I am glad this was a domestic made transportation choice.
Fantastic news! Spread the cargo bike love!
Nice looking cargo bike.
Thanks Jake! You should REALLY mention the kickstarter campaign for your coffee trike. http://kck.st/yufJH0
You’re right, I should have mentioned how pourpour coffee is a local small bike related business, that is running a kickstarter campaign as we speak.
Thanks.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pourpourcoffee/pourpour-coffee-local-brew-to-order-coffee-from-a?ref=search
Inevitable sort of win for Metrofiets, given their product’s incredible sex appeal, the evolving acceptance of business bikes, and dogged perseverance. Huzzah!
Fantasic and Hooray!
Anoter sexy bike from the boys at Metrofiets. Can’t wait to see a fleet if these rolling around.
Big congrats to Metrofiets! More bikes doing the work of business is exactly what this world needs. Nice.
wow! congratulations! and wow! hopefully this will influence more businesses to start using cargo bikes for deliveries. we would like so see more of this in the bay area for sure.