Kenneth C. Martin Blogs: Velo Cult will close retail shop to focus solely on e-commerce

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Velo Cult will close retail shop to focus solely on e-commerce

Velo Cult was a central meeting place for bike lovers of all types.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus)

Velo Cult owner Sky Boyer in February 2018.

Velo Cult — a bike shop, bar and community gathering and event space in the Hollywood Neighborhood — will throw one final party this Saturday. Owner Sky Boyer has decided to close the brick-and-mortar space to focus his efforts online.

Boyer moved his business from San Diego to Portland in 2012 and quickly became a major cog in the local bike scene. Velo Cult has hosted all types of events and meetings and the shop changed the bike retail landscape locally and nationally. In 2013, Outside Magazine named Velo Cult one of the top 10 bike shops in America.

In the end, it appears the complexities of running a brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce business, mixed with requirements for running a bar in a 10,000 square-foot space, proved too big of a challenge.

“We’ve hosted weddings, funerals, concerts, poetry slams, musical jam sessions, parties to celebrate all occasions, and even got recognition on CNN, Travel Channel, and in numerous magazines,” said owner Sky Boyer in a statement. “With this big space we ran into problems with the bar in regards to the city, in the end the requirements from the city to keep the bar going are too great for a business like ours to take on. We don’t own the building so the expense for upgrades and the change to the layout does not make sense.”

Sky Boyer and two employees renovating the 10,000 square-foot former antique mall in 2012.

In the past several years Velo Cult has found a robust niche for its line of branded apparel, frames, and other products.

As you might expect, Boyer plans to go out with a bang. There’s a big party planned at the shop for July 28th. Then on August 1st a liquidation sale will begin where everything — cool display items and merchandise included — must go.

Portland will sorely miss Velo Cult. Thank you Boyer Family for sharing this gift with us, and best of luck in the future!

For more information on the upcoming sale, follow Velo Cult on Instagram or visit them at VeloCult.com.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

Never miss a story. Sign-up for the daily BP Headlines email.

BikePortland needs your support.