Shop Schedule for December is as follows:
Sundays: December 4, 11, and 18 – Shop Open noon to 4 PM (Shop Closed on December 25 and January 1)
Tuesdays: December 13, 20, and 27 – Shop Open 5 PM to 8 PM (Shop Closed on December 6)
Thursdays: December 1, 8, 15, and 22 – Shop Open 5 PM to 8 PM (Not sure if we will be open on December 29)
Thursdays: December 8, 15, 22 and January 5, 12, 19, and 25 – Mechanic Class 8 PM to 9 PM (No class on December 29)
We have been busy getting our list caught up, bringing in loads of bicycles from our recycling partner cities, processing lots of tear-downs, cleaning out the garages, along with our paid repair work and some repairs for Free Bikes 4 Kidz. We also are planning on moving stuff around at the shop to make your shopping experience even better, and we will be purging some of the stuff in the parts bins. We always need help to do these kinds of tasks, so consider joining our volunteer crew.
Speaking of joining the crew – do you want to work on bicycles but don’t have the skills? Well, we have just the thing for you! We are offering a series of 7 classes on Thursday nights between 8 PM and 9 PM beginning on Thursday, December 8 and running through the end of January. You will get some hands-on training in various repair tasks so that by the time you finish the class, you should be ready to work with the mechanic crew at MMRB. This class will not turn you into a full-fledged bicycle mechanic, but it is your chance to learn the basics so you can practice what you’ve learned and become proficient over time. We especially encourage women and teens to attend this class. If demand exceeds available space we will offer the series again later next year.
We are not doing the Holiday Wishes Program this year because United Way is no longer running it. If you know someone who needs a bicycle for Christmas, please call 651-641-1037 and leave us a voice mail message. Unless demand is overwhelming, we should be able to have all bicycles requested by December 13 available for pickup at our shop by December 22. We also have a great selection of used bicycles available, and we are offering $50 off the price of several very nice bicycles. We are also offering our mini-tune package – regular $40 value – for just $25. These prices will be good through Christmas.
Since the beginning of 2016, we have given away 580 bicycles! We also gave Habitat for Humanity around $1,700, and spent $800 for Cranksgiving (to benefit the Joyce Food Shelf). We are having our best year ever for sales, so we are able to be more generous to local charities. Thanks for your business, and we look forward to serving your bicycle needs now and throughout the coming year.