The shop schedule for March is as follows:
Sundays – March 6, and 20 – Shop Open noon to 4 PM (Closed March 27, Happy Easter)
Sunday – March 13 – Shop Open 1 PM to 4 PM
Tuesdays – March 8, 15, 22, and 29 – Shop Open 7 PM to 9 PM (Closed March 1 so we can attend precinct caucus)
Thursdays – March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31 – Shop Open 7 PM to 9 PM
As we wrap up February and head toward spring, we are excited that we have had the highest-ever February sales total! This is really good news, because we have been running on very little cash and we were close to not making rent. Now we can pay the rent, the utilities, our license, and purchase a little advertising. Our shop now has a little breathing room, financially speaking.
We attended a swap meet in LaCrosse Wisconsin and sold a couple of bicycles and a bunch of other stuff. This was a big help in boosting our February sales numbers. The nice weather didn’t hurt any. As we look forward to spring, we have some upcoming events so mark your calendars.
March 25 and 26, we make our annual pilgrimage to Stockholm, WI to repair the Blue Bicycles. The Blue Bicycles are placed around this tiny village for use by tourists and they are very popular. We provide the bicycles, as well as used repair parts and the labor. The Village of Stockholm provides the storage facility and purchases some new tires and tubes. If you are passing through this really cool little place, stop for a few minutes and take one of the Blue Bicycles for a spin.
Coming up in April and May, we have the Green Expo and our spring recycling events. Dates are as follows:
Saturday, April 23 is the Coon Rapids Green Expo at the Schwann Center at the NSC in Blaine. Free and open to the public. We have a booth there to tell folks about MMRB and the work we do to give bicycles to people who need them.
The recycling event schedule is:
Saturday, April 23 – City of Andover
Saturday, April 30 – City of St. Francis
Saturday, May 7 – City of Fridley
We also will have two free repair dates coming up, but dates have not yet been set. One will be on a Thursday in April for Shobi’s Table. The other is likely to be in May in Maiden Rock and Plum City, WI. We also may be participating in a free repair date with the Dorothy Day Center. Details will be posted here once things are finalized.
The current bicycle give-away total is 19. We expect this to pick up as the warmer weather arrives. We can always use volunteer mechanics at the shop, and we also can use a volunteer to handle customer service and sales. Stop by the shop any time that we are open to inquire. Whether you are receiving a gift bicycle, buying our stuff, or volunteering, we want you to know that you are always welcome at Mr. Michael Recycles Bicycles. Stop in to see us soon.