Recently, I've devoted a couple of post to bicycles made into Christmas ornaments, or bicycle-themed holiday decorations. And, I know that as I write, there are bike rides in progress that wend their way along streets of highly-decorated houses and stores.
All of that got me to thinking about how--and whether--bicycle shops are decorated for the holiday season.
In many shops, you'll find garland winding through wheels of display bikes, frames festooned with strings of lights and orbs hanging from handlebars and other bike parts. A few have more creative, or at least elaborate, displays.
In my experience, the most decorated shops are the ones catering to two ends of the bike market spectrum--kids and rich yuppies. I know, because I have worked in both types of shops.
I've also worked in shops that sold high-quality bikes, parts and accessories that were neither flashy or cheap, and were run by honest--though, perhaps, grumpy--mechanics. At one such shop, said grumpy mechanic/proprietor gave me some small tools in a metal Band-Aid box with a red bow stuck on top of it. I am told that I received the most elaborately-packaged gift he gave anybody that year. Perhaps I don't need to say that his shop was about as decorated as Kim Kardashian is clothed on any given day.
It was the sort of shop in which you had your wheels built or frame prepped, if you didn't have the tools or skills to do such things yourself. And you would go to it for advice. But for aesthetics, not so much. But whatever you bought, or whatever work you had done, there was a gift that kept on giving.
All of that got me to thinking about how--and whether--bicycle shops are decorated for the holiday season.
In many shops, you'll find garland winding through wheels of display bikes, frames festooned with strings of lights and orbs hanging from handlebars and other bike parts. A few have more creative, or at least elaborate, displays.
In my experience, the most decorated shops are the ones catering to two ends of the bike market spectrum--kids and rich yuppies. I know, because I have worked in both types of shops.
I've also worked in shops that sold high-quality bikes, parts and accessories that were neither flashy or cheap, and were run by honest--though, perhaps, grumpy--mechanics. At one such shop, said grumpy mechanic/proprietor gave me some small tools in a metal Band-Aid box with a red bow stuck on top of it. I am told that I received the most elaborately-packaged gift he gave anybody that year. Perhaps I don't need to say that his shop was about as decorated as Kim Kardashian is clothed on any given day.
It was the sort of shop in which you had your wheels built or frame prepped, if you didn't have the tools or skills to do such things yourself. And you would go to it for advice. But for aesthetics, not so much. But whatever you bought, or whatever work you had done, there was a gift that kept on giving.
