A Bike Shop is Coming to Crozet

Update 29 November 2016: The Crozet Bike Shop is open!

As a bicycle rider, hooorayyyyy!!!!!

As a Crozetian seeking any kind of improvement/activity/movement in the Barnes Lumberyard, this is great news!

I’ll leave the actual reporting to others, and answer a few questions I would have.

• Who?
  • Cor Carelsen. He and his family moved to Crozet recently from South Africa, where they had and sold a safari operation.
  • They chose Crozet for the quality of life – close to nature, and far enough from Charlottesville –  and the schools.
  • He also happens to ride with the Crozet Cycling Club.
  • He’s also a nice guy.
• When will the bike shop open?
  • He’s aiming for October/November 2016. The plan is to be in the building for 2 years, establish himself in the community, and go/grow from there.
  • A goal is to be part of the community, get involved with the people, the riders, races …
• Where?
  • In the lumberyard. That yellowish building just beyond The Square? Right there.

• What?
  • He is going to sell bikes – a full lineup, including bikes for adults, junior bikes, bikes made for kids, light and simple, as well as bicycling gear and apparel, but the focus of the shop is going to be servicing bikes. I ran into someone this morning who had heard about the shop and who echoed what I’ve heard from many – she’s hoping for classes on basic bike maintenance – changing tires, chains, adding lube … “
• Why?
  • Cor is following his passion – he has always ridden and worked on his bicycles. Crozet needs a bike shop. He loves working on bicycles – simply, they are machines that, given the right time and attention, can be made to work. He is a perfectionist. Bicycles are equally simple, complex – and solvable.

Starting – and running/operating –  a bike shop in this environment and economy is a huge risk, and must be done in part by passion and love of bicycles and community. I’m looking forward to seeing the shop grow.

Additional thoughts from Jim:

• I can’t wait for the bike shop.
• Crozet needs a hotel.
• The Valley is taking note and advantage of bicycle tourism.  (bolding mine)
  • “Those taking the Valley by bicycle have helped the local economy, according to an economic impact analysis. …More than 1,500 people responded the the survey, which was started in July 2015.
  • The bicycle tourism industry in the central Shenandoah Valley had a total economic impact of $13.6 million and supported 184 jobs in 2015, a release said. Visitor spending had a direct economic impact of approximately $8.6 million that supported 144 jobs and the top sectors impacted by bicycle tourism are restaurants, hotels, motels, and retail establishments, the release said. Seventy-one percent of visitors stayed overnight during their bicycling trip.
  • For those who are visiting (or live in) the Crozet area, this is the Crozet Cycling Club on Strava, and this is the CCC on Facebook.
    • If you’re on Strava, here are some of our usual routes. If you’re not, and you’re looking for a ride, ask us, and we’ll help you out.