Introducing Gillies & Oil Family Cyclery!

The Big, Secret Project

I've been keeping something from you, and I am sorry. For several months now I've been working on hatching a special plan. I've been mum about it here on the blog until now because I didn't want to jinx anything but here goes:

Tyler and I are STARTING A BIKE SHOP!

Yep, this summer we will be proud and pleased as punch to welcome you to G & O Family Cyclery. G & O will be a full service shop, specializing in cargo and family bikes.

• Pedal Parents will be welcome!
• Kids will be welcome!
• Interested, but Concerned new cyclists will be welcome!
• We'll be provide space and support for Seattle's growing cargo and family bike community!
• Events!
• Classes!
• Toys!
• Big, big, strong bikes!
• Some of them electric!
• All of them beautiful, because without beauty, what is the point?

We couldn't be happier to be joining the Greenwood neighborhood. While our specialty is cargo and utility bikes, we are ready and excited to fix any bike that comes in the door!

But What About Riding on Roadways? A moment for Metablogging.

This blog will certainly continue. I love blogging. We are coming up on a year and I don't wanna stop now. I've been writing on here less over the past couple of months. That's only natural with all the busyness of starting this business and all the busyness of getting ready for the new Baby Oil (just a couple weeks until his due date! The Oils are really busy right now.) But busyness is not the only reason I've been posting less.

Once we decided to start the shop I felt strongly that until I was ready to let you all in on the plan, I needed to avoid writing about bikes and products that we might sell. From here on out, I'm sure I can find a way to address potential conflict of interest in a way that feels good and honest but until I was ready to talk about G & O on this blog I didn't feel comfortable writing about all of my experiences with the EdgeRunner, the Larry Vs Harry Bullitt and my ongoing effort to become an E-Assist know-it-all.

I CANNOT WAIT to tell you about the cool bikes Little Oil and I have been testing, as well as to let you in a little on the process of opening a bike shop. It's been quite a process so far, with quite a bit of process still ahead of us.

Today, we signed the lease on our new spot. We'll begin build-out as soon as possible and I'll have more info on our projected opening date soon.

So, my question for today:

Pedal Parents, Potential Pedal Parents, Other Folks, what do you look for in a bike shop? What makes a bike shop lovable?