(Photo: Becky Morton)
Bikeasaurus, a retail store devoted to bike-inspired art and products, will soon be extinct. Owner Becky Morton announced to her customers last week that it was a “difficult decision” but “it’s best to close up shop, as sales aren’t what they should be.”
Bikeasaurus opened in September 2010 at a location near the Hawthorne Bridge viaduct on SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Morton moved to her current location at 1725 SE Hawthorne in June 2012. Morton and her memorable stegosaurus logo were also regular vendors at the annual BikeCraft holiday gift bazaar.
Luther King Jr. Blvd.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)
Morton, an art major and former art school teacher, opened the store to showcase local bike art (she hosted a weekly First Friday Art Show) and sell hard-to-find bicycle-related gifts, home decor, accessories, and more. In a message on her website, Morton wrote, “Thank you for your collaboration in making Portland’s bike community more fun and accessorized!”
Reached via email for comment about the closure, Morton wrote, “It was a difficult decision for me. Bikeasaurus has really defined me for the last four years and I put my heart into it. Along the way I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working with so many talented and kind Portlanders – artists, crafters, event-planners, advocates and enthusiastic customers. The bike community here is made up of truly unique and down-to-earth individuals. It was an honor and a pleasure entrenching myself in this world and being a part of it.”
Morton is now having a closeout sale with 25% off all remaining inventory. Her plan is to close the doors officially at the end of this month; but not after having a big farewell celebration on January 24th.
Swing by 1725 SE Hawthorne to get some good deals on cool bike stuff and to wish Becky well in her next endeavor. Check out Bikeasaurus.com for more info.
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And so a little bit of Portland dies…. Good luck in the future, Becky!
Hope we see Bikesaurus at the Saturday Market or some other regular location!
With the economy picking up I think we will be seeing more closures. Landlords were happy to have any rental money coming in and leased out properties at unbelievably low prices after the crash. Start-ups were able to get into storefronts at these prices. Rents are now going up, and will be putting more pressure on small companies that are on the edge.
Becky’s one in a million! She was one of the nicest store owners I’ve ever worked with.
Say it ain’t so!