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?
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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 … “
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- 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.
