(Photos: Western Bikeworks)
Portland-based bike retailer Western Bikeworks (part of the Velotech stable of brands) has opened a large new store in Tigard at 7295 SW Dartmouth Street. This comes just over four years after their first store in the Pearl District opened in 2011.
Scroll down for more about the store via an official statement and several photos of the interior…
Tigard’s newest and largest bike shop was born in a garage. But nothing about the design and feel of the new Western Bikeworks location in the Tigard Triangle hints at those humble origins. Located in the 8,500 square foot space that was once home to the Jeffrey Allen Gallery, the store features soaring ceilings, fixtures made almost entirely from reclaimed wood, and the sort of minimalist displays that would normally be associated with high-end fit studios.
General Manager Brandon Vaughan and Store Manager Colin Ross want people to look beyond the unique design and understand the roots of the store. “Western Bikeworks started out with one passionate cyclist, some bike tires, and a dream,” says Ross. “When Lou (Doctor), the founder, started out he was like every other cyclist trying to get the highest quality product at the best possible price. That’s something we’ve never forgotten. Western Bikeworks’ selection includes the highest quality bikes, apparel, and accessories for almost every budget. Our bike brands range from niche manufacturers like Shinola and Parlee to powerhouses like Cannondale, Felt, and Scott, allowing us to cater to every kind of cyclist, from the cost-conscious novice to the serious racer.”
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Beyond great selection and competitive price, Vaughan and Ross both emphasize the central role that customer service plays at both Western Bikeworks locations. “The cycling community in Tigard has traditionally been underserved,” says Vaughan. “We wanted to give cyclists outside of Portland proper access to a world-class bike shop. Tigard is perfect, because it is halfway between Beaverton and Lake Oswego, where there is a bit of a vacuum shop-wise. By filling this vacuum we hope that the new location will not only better serve our current customers, but help grow cycling in communities South and West of Portland. This commitment to customer service extends beyond simply location. Every decision about whom we hire, what we carry, and what unique services we provide was made with our customers in mind. As the only shop in the Pacific Northwest with a state-of-the-art GURU Fit system, we’re uniquely suited to making sure that you get the most out of your cycling experience. All of our mechanics are highly-trained, and have extensive experience servicing everything from high-end road bikes, to recumbents and mountain bikes.”
Part of what makes this location different from any other bike shop is the unique layout, which offers multiple outdoor spaces. Currently you can enjoy bottled beer, kombucha or fresh coffee from Stumptown and relax on the locally made cedar patio furniture. Future plans for the outdoor space include a dirt pump-track, and an outdoor event space. “We want to develop a store that can serve as a community hub,” concludes Ross. “Only time will tell where we go from here, but for now we are open seven days a week and excited about expanding our services
and helping everyone who walks in our door feel like they’ve come home.”
[Disclaimer: Western Bikeworks pays for advertising on BikePortland but our financial partnership had no bearing on the publication of this article.]
In my humble opinion this level of coverage for a bike shop opening a new branch challenges your disclaimer a smidge. I like both the shop and BikePortland, but wanted to share that impression FYI …
Thanks for the feedback Frank. I hear you. I approached this post like I do all the Industry Tickers… A local bike-related company has news and I publish their press release and photos verbatim with a short intro to give some context to readers.
That being said, it’s true that companies who advertise with us will probably get more coverage. That’s just human nature because we have a relationship with them and an open channel of communication so I end up knowing more about what they are doing. I also see our advertisers as partners and if they support BikePortland I will definitely try to do everything I can — within reason and within editorial discretion — to support them.
I personally like the coverage. A new bike store in Tigard, Beaverton, Hillsboro, let a lone a known name is newsworthy. I think I could count on one hand the number of bike stores in each city. It’s not portland with tons of shop, but I see Frank’s Point.
Kind of an odd location, especially get to by bike as it is near lots of cars at Costco, Walmart, Winco…
Not an odd location for the west side. We are used to our bike shops being ironically hard to ride to.
Bike Gallery & Performance Bike = Hall BLVD off Canyon
Bike n Hike = Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy
Santiam Bicycle = Hall BLVD off Hwy 217
Just off the top of my head….
Take the lane, Dan, and it’s not a problem at all.
Take the lane on BH Hwy? Ha ha ha! 🙂
Absolutely, Dan, I made these videos just for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjGrZxp3pkE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MwgrqLJKUo
Totally understandable, and you have bills to pay.
Perhaps you could just remove the part of the disclaimer starting with “but…” since as you point out here, it naturally does end up having some effect, but informing the readers of the partnership is nice.
The west side of the metro area needs more bike shops.
Very Good!! Finally a decent alternative to Performance in Beaverton. Have frequented the shop in Pearl. Will try this afternoon. Santiam bikes on the north side of Washington is fairly decent but I keep finding holes in their inventory without looking for them.
Beautiful shop.
I attended the grand opening of this store and had a blast! Fun people, free beers, and a sweet new shop in my neighborhood. Since then I’ve been back several times, and have always been warmly greeted, and taken care of. Good resource for Tigard residents.
I wouldn’t get too excited. Western Bike Works is not a LBS. They are Amazon without the shipping.
The prices are great, but don’t expect them to honor product warranties. I have had rather poor experiences with them in this regard.
Their service department at the Pearl location is terrible. I would say do not EVER let them touch your bike unless you are watching.
Before anyone asks, I do not work for a competitor. I am just a disappointed consumer.
They employ locals, they sell goods made locally, and better yet pay taxes locally.
Shops don’t honor or dishonor a product warranty, the main companies do. Some shops are better at finagling the gray area, some don’t want to piss off their suppliers.
Finally…..why pay some one to work on your bike in the first place? There is nothing difficult about bike maintenance, I’ve been working on my own stuff for over 25 years now and hardly ever pay a shop for service.
How do you define LBS? Western is no more Performance than it is the Community Cycling Center, but I’d certainly place what they do for the community against inventory and hiring against River City. Does Western’s DC and internet presence pull sales from shops like Velo Cult and 21st — likely, but again it’s not Nashbar. The folks at Western are committed to the local recreation, commuting, and racing scene on all levels. This can’t be said for a place like Universal. The Pearl local has solid mechanics with plenty of knowledge of “dated” components and frames plus zero interest in up-selling over repairing.
“This can’t be said for a place like Universal” I’ll have to disagree with you on this one. Universal does everything any of the other LBS do in that they support local events, employees and local vendors (i.e Cyclone, Showers pass, PDW, etc)
I think you may be be confusing the fact that for a larger retailer to exist (especially in Portland) they need to have a strong presence online. Which both Western and Universal do. Also both support sales expansion of local vendors by having such a strong online presence which is also good for our local bicycle economy.
But if you begrudge Universal for opening that large store in such close proximity to other smaller and long time established LBS I wouldn’t hold that against you. As it is fair to want to keep supporting the good LBS that were there first and not let them get run out of business by a larger shop.
By “product warranties” you mean a product you bought somewhere else “for cheaper” and then when it breaks you expect this LBS to go out of their way to warranty something they never sold you?
because I seriously doubt they wouldn’t honor a warranty on something They sold you… as a matter of fact I know they would honor it.
No business and especially bike shops are going to be willing to honor warranties on something you bought from somewhere else and goes double if it was Amazon.
Sorry to here you have had such a bad experience in the past Chris. I can’t speak to what has happened before, but I can say that we are always willing to work with customers to warranty products now.
I would also be happy to personally supervise any work you brought out to us in Tigard to ensure it is completed thoroughly, accurately, and to your complete satisfaction
Chris, I’m surprised by your experience. I’ve been a loyal customer for several years now. I like many bike shops here in town, but I keep going to them because they DO take care of me. I’ve been surprised several times when I thought I’d have to leave my bike for service, and they merely suggest I grab a beer while they make the fix on the spot.
I have had several quite good experiences with their service department in the Pearl. Quick turnarounds on things I needed in a hurry.
It is a great place and it will help serve the nearby PCC campus.
I just got back from riding over to the store. I rode the length of Dartmouth from Pacific highway to I5. I rode around the Walmart parking lot. I was at Winco yesterday and did not see the shop. The 2 extra buildings in the Walmart area were vacant. Who Knows! Maybe my google map was wrong. I couldn’t find it. Pretty bruital taking all of the traffic lanes in the heat. Driving over there now to find it.
Tom,
Sorry you weren’t able to find us. We’re right next to the Lumber Liquidators, in the back right corner. As you’re coming down 72nd from Pacific Highway, you can access the shop via the stairs to your right. The building is pretty distinctive, with a wood-siding rampart-esque feature at the front. We look forward to seeing you.
Found it. You need to go to the PetSmart parking lot to the North end of the lot. Opposite the Winco end. Think I found my next bike form.
Apparently I can’t use the term “Fred” when referring to a paying sponsor’s clientele…
Actually Chris I my deletion of your previous comment has absolutely nothing to do with “paying sponsor’s” and everything to do with the fact that you used a derogatory insult that I felt was mean and unwelcoming and unnecessary.
Interesting how a comment telling someone to “pull your head out of your ass” is not censored yet the widely accepted and colorfully descriptive term “Fred” is deemed somehow too damaging to the readership of this blog.
It was the way it was used and I’m glad Jonathan deleted it. It added nothing to the conversation, just an opinion that only certain types of cyclists should be socially acceptable. If I wanted to be insulted for riding a certain type of bike or wearing cycling-specific clothes I’d head over to the Oregonian.
I ride a go fast bike and often wear spandex. My comment was conjecture about the types of riders in the area and the success of the new location. Apparently I need to avoid any words that might offend people.
Chris said:
Bingo! I think you’ve figured out how things work around here.
Yes Caesar, I tend to go with how a comment feels based on context and tone more than the actual words used. That’s where the discretion thing comes in… My goal is to keep a balance between a completely sanitized (boring!) comment section and one where people think they can say whatever they want.
That being said, if someone contacted us about “pull your head out of your ass” I would definitely look at it and consider doing some moderation/deletion.
Western Bikeworks is great! What a great shop to have available in my hood. But small correction: their shop is actually in Northwest Portland, across the freeway from the Pearl. But I’m happy to co-opt them.
I’ve done a ton of business with this company, through both retail entities. Went to the Grand Opening in Tigard, spied a beautiful Cannondale on sale, and vowed to snatch it up if it was there the next morning. Sure enough, I snagged it. They took the time to have me come back and properly fit me to the bike and make sure all was in good order. I love it. They sponsor a number of local rides and are doing a good job of being a local resource. I’m just a satisfied customer, and happy to have them in Tigard.
Western Bikeworks is my favorite shop. Love their indoor parking in NW, which really helps when stopping in there on my ride home.
I also appreciate having another shop SW of Portland. The Shop in Newberg closed, then the Sherwood shop (WVC) closed, and left us with only Performance in Tualatin. Western Bike Works is the best option in reasonable riding distance.
As long as we’re doing bike shop stories, I’d be interested to hear how the bike shops on Williams are doing since the bike path was rearranged.
Western is fine, for a big shop, but the “friendliness factor” has always been hit or miss. I’ve done quite a bit of business with one of the shops on Williams, and even though the amount of money changing hands has been pretty minimal, (a couple of sets of handbuilt wheels) they treat me as though I’m one of their biggest customers every time I drop in, even if it’s just for a tube or something. I hope all those small enterprises are doing well;
(And, I won’t let an opportunity like this pass without calling out Western for getting rid of Maria Shur and eliminating the “Monthly Shop Rides” that were a lot of fun to participate in – a nice easy ride with an ever changing, eclectic group of enthusiasts))
Well Metropolis is doing great I assume. I know Williams gets about 1k plus commuters or more during peak business hours. The path passes right by their front door. It beats taking the lane or dismounting to cross the street. Simply pulling over to the front door is ideal for most people riding the Williams bike lane.
For the record, the 1k is an estimate based on me having lunch once at Kenny & Zukes. In a half hours time which took place between 430-5, I counted (on my phone that is) 283 people on bikes pass by.
It’s funny, I’ve had exactly two experiences with Western. Went to one of their shops a while ago, had to fight to get the attention of a saleskid even though they weren’t busy, then he didn’t really know much about what I was looking for (saddles). Not the worst I’ve had in a shop, but not the best either. Another time I took advantage of an online sale (free shipping and tax free to CA) and had to call them to deal with some issues which they resolved quickly and courteously.
Retail is such tough business – you can do everything right and still get screwed by one or two bad episodes. I’ve got good friends in the bike biz and know they do it mainly for passion because it’s not an easy buck, but I’m always glad to see more bike shops open up… WAY more so than coffee shops or car dealerships! 🙂
Completely agree!
Maria is a rock star and that was a bad move on their part. I have shopped there less as a result.
I’ve been to Bike Works a few times and have had many issues
1) They recommended wrong fenders that would not fit bike. They told me 3 days after I dropped off the bike to have them put on.
2) The could never fix the brake issues on my new bike numerous times. Took to another LBS and fixed it in 5 minutes
3) They repaired a flat and did not tighten rear wheel. Almost fell off when going down Interstate Ave
4) Assembled my wifes bike incorrectly
5) 5 spokes broke on new bike after a month. They said it must have been a bad batch. They ordered the wrong colored spokes.
So, essentially I take my bike to another store now.
I was stoked to see this store open in close proximity to my home. The grand opening night with free food, beer, and live jazz (plus swag) was awesome. I’ve taken two bikes in for work in the shop and was pleased with the result. I wish them great success.
Hi Fred and Fredette-friends,
Tangent alert: I’m still leading rides! Come check out the Hillz ride this Saturday (6/14) 10am. We meet at the Missing Link on Woodstock near 46th. We’ll go again Sunday (6/21 10am) for off-road exploration (roadies, Freds, MTBs: all welcome).
Two wheels, one love,
Maria