The Kindred Cycles Blog…IT LIVES!!!
This summer we have been doing a pretty poor job of keeping yinz apprized of our mis-adventures so I thought what better time than now to start the blog back up again. Theblog has returned from the dead to bring you updates and current goings on and whatnot. But before we start talking about future/current events and project we thought it might make sense to shoot out some snippets from the season. Probably the biggest change here at Kindred has to be the complete rearrangement of the shop, which started this past winter and has been slowly progressing all season. We also added two great staff members to the Kindred Cycles family.
Probably what some of you remember if you haven't been in the shop in a while. Checkout and Service are all together against the left wall as you come in to the shop.
When we opened the shop in April of 2014 we still had yet to have a staff, or customers for that matter. We laid the shop out so Katharine and myself could cover it by ourselves. As many of you remember the checkout register and work area were against the left side-wall through the middle of the shop. We had a bathroom in the back corner and bikes and inventory against the right wall from front to back. The layout worked well for the first year or so but when we started to get busier in year two the added customers along with the added staff (helpful friends) started to make the shop feel cramped and inefficient.
This past winter we decided we could get rid of our bathroom and make enough space in the back of the shop for our service center. This would open the whole front the of store for retail and make it easier for customers and staff to move about the store. We knew we could shuffle around our bike racks and build some shelving for our Bromptons and such. Below I added a picture of one of the in between phases where the front register cabinet was still in the back near the service counter. We are still not quite done with the move but we very much like the way the shop has changed.
Below you will find two pictures from today that show the new layout.
Here is a pic of Sarah and our newly established checkout station.
Now to the new staff members. Nate and Sarah. Nate has been here over a year now and Sarah started in May. Katharine and myself are very happy to have them both.
A little over a year ago now, last August, we received an email from a Mr. Nathaniel Holobar. He explained in a very well written and professional manner that he was moving from State College to Pittsburgh and looking for work as a bicycle mechanic. Based on the strength of his cover letter and resume we decided to grant him an interview even though we were heading into the off-season. About a week later the fresh faced young man pictured above was dropped off at the shop by his father to complete his interview. Well...it's been over a year now and Young Master Nate has proven himself to be a natural mechanic with great instincts and attention to detail. He also is the youngest bicycle retrogrouch we know. So...if you haven't got a chance to meet Nate yet stop on down to the shop and he would be happy to engage in a discussion with you about the functionality, beauty, and elegance of down tube shifters. We asked him to write a bio for the website which we are still waiting for but soon the link will be here.
Sarah Sanders started at Kindred this past May helping with bike and accessory sales as well as inventory stuff and other bike shoppy things. She is super nice and has helped us a ton here. Sarah has great experience with bicycle touring and urban cycling. She lived, worked, and cycled in Philly for a bunch of years. If you haven't met her yet stop by the shop and say hello and check out her bio page.
In the next few weeks I plan to write about my experiences with the drop bar monster cross/adventure touringKona Sutra LTD. I had been coveting the Sutra LTD since I saw if at the Kona 2016 release party in July of 15 and finally broke down and bought one last month. I am having some trouble figuring out how to accessorize the Sutra. Should I install fenders and take away from the off road capability but add some commuter-ability so maybe yinz, should I install racks for traditional panniers or should I use soft bags which seem to be all the rage. Katharine is in the middle of a 650B townie conversion of a Kona RoveST that she will be writing about soon. Talk to you soon.
This was the first Kona Sutra LTD we received in 2015. I was still in the early stages of wanting it and trying to convince myself that I needed it.