POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Pottsville Cyclery opened its doors to customers for the first time last Saturday.
Owner Allen Reinert is looking to get his business in gear, having moved back to the area just before the pandemic began.
"When I got here and lockdown happened, there was a bike boom larger than this country has ever seen. I had always had intentions of opening a shop in town, but that was going to probably be a few years down the road. When that boom happened, I realized if I don't do it now, somebody else will," Reinert said.
Reinert spent a year learning the terrain and gathering necessary equipment. But that boom, coupled with production issues, means his walls are mostly bare. He's selling some of his personal fleet for now, but he says the bike shortage means an uphill climb for everyone.
"From people that I've talked to, other bike shops in the area have one or two bikes on hand. So it's not just a problem that we're facing as a new shop; it's also shops that have been around for 20 or 30 years are having problems."
Reinert expects to receive more wheels in the fall, but he thinks production may not recover for a few years. That's why he's turning to a different side of the business.
"My hope is that those folks that bought bikes last year are going to need a place to come get their bike fixed."
Reinert says the area has developed a strong cycling community, and bike paths, like the Schuylkill River Trail, are expanding.
"We've got nice trials for people who are first getting into cycling, and there's some really nice mountain biking stuff, and then we've got tons of great road cycling."
Reinert wants his store to be a cog in revitalizing the downtown.
"Everybody that I've talked to says Pottsville needs this. There hasn't been a bike shop in town in over seven years, and so there's a lot of people that are excited to finally have an option that's close."
Pottsville Cyclery is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but Reinert hopes to expand those hours when the wheels start turning.