Category: Shop News

The shop schedule for October is as follows:

Sundays – October 5, 12, 19, and 26 – Open Noon to 4 PM

Tuesdays – October 7, 14, 21, and 28 – Open 7 PM to 9 PM

Thursdays – October 9, 13, 23, and 30 – Open 7 PM to 9 PM

Other date to note – Fridley Recycling Event is Saturday, October 11 between 9 AM and 1 PM.  Anyone who wishes to volunteer should contact me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-641-1037.  We can use a couple of people to help either at Fridley or over at our shop for the other event on that date, which is the Free Bikes 4 Kidz Drop Off.  We will be loading a trailer full of kid bikes and can use a couple of folks for this at around 8 AM on Saturday, October 11 at the shop.  If there are more bicycles than trailer capacity, the drivers will take them over to the drop site at Bandana Square, empty them, and bring them back to the shop for another load.  After they are done, Mr. Michael will bring the truck and trailer up to Fridley.  You are encouraged to volunteer for either of these events.

In other shop news, we cleaned out all the garages except for the sale garage.  We have added a whole lot of bicycles to the sale garage, and all of them are priced at just $10 each!  Most of the frames are $5 each, but there are a few higher end ones that sell for a little more, but still at really low prices.  This is the largest selection of bicycles we have ever offered at this price in our sale garage, so if you are in the market for a winter beater, or just a bargain, now is the time to buy.  Remember, these bicycles all need repairs, and you buy them as is.

The bicycle give away count is now over 400 for 2014.  We have around a dozen bicycles that are finished and waiting for their new owners to come and get them.  Our list is open again so anyone wanting to get a gift bicycle can sign up by calling 651-641-1037 and leaving the following information:  first and last name, height, style of bicycle preferred, and a reliable telephone number where we can reach you when the bicycle is ready for pickup.  We normally don’t match requests for specific colors or brands, but we do try to match the style request for mountain, road, hybrid, or cruiser bicycles.  Please note that once we call you to tell you your bicycle is ready, you need to arrange to pick it up within one week of the call.

We are also adopting some new policies concerning repairs.  From now on, we will require a down payment of either $20 or 50% (whichever is greater) of the cost of any repair over $30.  If you leave your bicycle for repairs, you will be expected to pay the remaining balance and pick up your bicycle within 30 days of our notifying you that your bicycle is ready.  All bicycles left for more than 60 days will become the property of Mr. Michael Recycles Bicycles, and the repair deposit is forfeited.  We really didn’t want to adopt this policy, but we have had quite a few customers leave bicycles for repair, we fix them and call the customer, but they never pick up the bicycle.  We have some out in our garage that have been waiting for over a year for their owners to come back and pay for repairs.  We have limited storage space, so we need to ensure that bicycles are picked up on time.

Our volunteers have selected the Ann Bancroft Foundation as our quarter 3 charitable partner.  We will be sending a check to ABF for 10% of all income from the months of July, August, and September.  Our quarter 1 partner was the ALS Foundation, and for quarter 2 we split the donation 50/50 between Feline Rescue and Colorado Shiba Inu Rescue.  Sending out those checks is one of the most rewarding things that I get to do for this business.

Watch this space for news about some additions to our merchandise selection.  We hope to have all of it in place by November.  Also, keep Saturday, November 29 open for our annual BLITZ! day to benefit the United Way/Pioneer Press Holiday Wishes Program.

We hope to see you soon at the shop.

Scheduling for the end of August and all of September is as follows:

Sundays: August 24, 31, and September 7, 14, 21, and 29 – Noon to 4 PM.  Please be sure to check back, because we may be adjusting hours on September 7.

Tuesdays: August 26 and September 2, 16, 23, and 30 – 7 PM to 9 PM.  Closed September 9.

Thursdays: September 4, 18, and 25 – 7 PM to 9 PM.  Closed August 28 and September 11.

Special Events:

City of Andover Recycling Day – September 13 from 9 AM to 1 PM

St. Paul Classic Bicycle Tour – September 7 – be sure to stop by the MMRB booth located in the registration entertainment area at University of St. Thomas

In other news, the bicycle give-away count is now 371.  Our wait list is currently closed, but we anticipate reopening it around October 1.  The exact date and time are not yet set, in case we are able to catch up on the backlog.  Right now we have a lot more fixer-upper bicycles than appear to be needed, so we are having a huge sale beginning August 24.  All the fixer-uppers will be priced at just $10 each!  We expect the sale to run for at least the next couple of weeks, so if you seek a project or parts bike, here is an opportunity to get one cheap.  We also keep fixing more and more road bicycles to sell, but those in the popular 56 and 58 cm sizes seem to sell so fast that we don’t have time to take photos and advertise them.  We have several road bikes available, but they are either shorter or taller.  We will also be marking down some of the bicycles that have been here for awhile, because we will be getting a bunch more during the fall recycling season, so now is a good time to grab a bargain on a bicycle.

Our volunteers continue to amaze us.  They open the shop when we are out of town and do a great job running the place.  They all have greatly increased their mechanical skills.  They come up with fantastic ideas to increase sales, make the place more efficient, and go over and above anything we could possibly expect.  MMRB would not be the most fun bike shop in town without this wonderful crew of dedicated volunteers, so hats off to the 3 Toms, Marie, Kendra, William, Carl, and Joe for their valued service to us, and ultimately to you.  If you don’t know why MMRB is the most fun bike shop in town, come on in and find out, and meet some of these great volunteers.  Hope to see you at the shop.

Here is the July shop schedule:

Sundays – July 6, 13, 20, and 27 – noon to 4 PM

Tuesdays – July 8, 22, and 29 – 7 PM to 9 PM (closed July 15)

Thursdays – July 10, 24, and 31 – 7 PM to 9 PM (closed July 17)

We also will be doing a recycling event in Fridley on Saturday, July 26.

We have been busy lately at the shop.  We managed to catch up all the orders on our wait list, so we have reopened it for requests.  We also have sold a lot of bicycles in the last month, as well as made two pickups from Coon Rapids and did the Centerville recycling event.  Our garages are stuffed.  We took a huge load of 80 bicycles out to Free Bikes 4 Kidz.  They have secured some top secret warehouse space in Eden Prairie where these bicycles will be stored until their repair season starts.  We plan to take another load out to them sometime near the end of July.

The bicycle give away count is up to 273.  We are well ahead of our minimum goal of 1 per day, but it will take a bit of work to beat our 2012 record of 755.  We just keep plugging away at the orders.  There have also been a few changes made at the shop – Mr. Michael finally had time to install the ceiling fans, and they make things a lot more comfortable in the shop on those hot days.  Our sales have been great, which means our charity contributions will be healthy.  We are giving 10% of all income from the shop to charity this year, and our volunteers help us to select the recipients.  The first quarter we gave the money to the ALS Society to honor the late wife of one of our volunteers.  The quarter 2 money will be split between two animal charities – one for cats and one for dogs.  I love sending out those checks.  We haven’t selected our quarter 3 charity yet.

If you get a chance, be sure to stop by the shop and meet the crew.  If you want to volunteer, we can most likely find you something to do even if you are not a mechanic.  We have some parts that need sorting, and our sale garage always needs straightening.  We deeply appreciate the efforts of all our volunteers, and we also appreciate all the customers who buy our stuff so we can pay the bills.  A huge thanks to all of you.  Hope to see you soon at the shop.

The June shop schedule is as follows:

Sundays – June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 – noon to 4 PM

Tuesdays – June 3, 10, 17, and 24 – 7 PM to 9 PM

Thursdays – June 5, 12, 19, and 26 – 7 PM to 9 PM

The Centerville Recycling Event is Saturday, June 21 from 9 AM to 1 PM.  If you are interested in volunteering, please call or send us an email message and I’ll provide the details.

We are up to 137 bicycles given away this year.  We have quite a few that are done and ready for pickup by recipients, so this number should grow quickly.  There are a lot of ready-to-ride bicycles for sale, but we don’t have all of them in the store due to lack of space.  If you are shopping for a bicycle and don’t see what you want in the store, just ask and we will see if we have something you will like.  Our parts selection is also excellent right now, thanks to a large donation of several pickup loads of stuff.  Mr. Michael is rearranging the sale garage to make it even easier for you to find what you are looking for.  Now that the weather is finally warm, come by the shop and take an hour or so just to dig through the goodies.  You may find hidden treasure.  While you are here, be sure to show some love to our amazing volunteers.  Hope to see you soon at the shop.

Saturday, May 24 from 10 AM to 2 PM and Sunday, May 25 from noon to 4 PM, we are having an inventory reduction sale.  There are fixer-upper bicycles priced at $5 and $10 each, a selection of steel wheels for $1 each, used tires for $2 each, and a large bucket filled with cranks and handlebars – your choice for just $2 each!   We also will offer good deals on our ready-to-ride bicycles.  The shop is stuffed to the gills, so we need to free up some space.  Shop early, shop often.

The May Shop Schedule is as follows:

Sundays – May 4, 11, and 25 – Shop Open Noon to 4 PM (Closed Sunday, May 18)

Tuesdays – May 6, 13, 20, and 27 – Shop Open 7 PM to 9 PM

Thursdays – May 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 – Shop Open 7 PM to 9 PM

The shop has been very busy the last couple of weeks.  We have started the spring cleanup season and have already brought in bicycles from Coon Rapids and Andover.  We will be collecting bicycles at Friday on May 3, and most likely pull another load from Coon Rapids on May 10.  Also coming May 10, we will again be exhibiting at the Coon Rapids Green Expo.  This event has changed both in size and in venue.  For the first time, this event will be held at the National Sports Center in Blaine.  The event runs from 9 AM to 2 PM, is free, and is open to the public.  Come by and see Mr. Michael explain how gears work, or just to chat.

If you have bicycles sitting around that you no longer are using, please consider bringing them to Mr. Michael Recycles Bicycles.  We will put them to good use.  Right now we particularly need mountain/hybrid bicycles to fit men over 6 feet tall, and some bicycles for boys with 20″ wheels.  The boys bikes are for an after-school program where kids in grades 4-6 learn to repair bicycles from an experienced mechanic, and each kid gets to fix and keep a bike.  We have partnered with this program now for about three years, but recently ran out of bicycles to give them.  We appreciate any donations of bicycles or parts that you bring to us.  Yes, we not only take bicycles, but we take boxes of leftover parts and accessories.  It doesn’t matter what it is, or even the condition, just bring it by the shop and we will do our best to use it.

We are close to giving away 100 bicycles so far this year.  The pickups seem to take longer than usual.  We have now closed our wait list, which has reached 60 names.  The list will reopen again on Monday, July 28 at 9 AM.

Thanks to all of our volunteers.  There are nights when every work station is occupied, and sometimes the volunteers have to double up.  We are blessed to have so many talented people to help.  We will be at the shop a lot this month, so why not take a little time to come and see us?  We have so much great stuff available for sale, and all proceeds go into the shop.  Thanks for your business, and we look forward to seeing you at the shop.

Saturday, March 22 and 29 – the shop will be open between 10 AM and 2 PM.  Get those bicycles in for their spring maintenance before the line gets too long.

We have already given away 45 bicycles since the beginning of the year!  It looks like the weather is finally starting to warm up, so we expect to get busy real quickly.  We can always use mechanics at the shop, so if you have some skills and want to use them to help others, bring your best game to MMRB.  We will find a spot for you.

Our March shop schedule is as follows:

Sundays – March 9, 16, 23, and 30 – open Noon to 4 PM.

Tuesdays – March 11, 18, and 25 – open 7 PM to 9 PM.

Thursdays – March 13, 20, and 27 – open 7 PM to 9 PM.

Looking ahead, we have some exciting events scheduled.  First up is the first ever bicycle giveaway day in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin.  This is on the calendar for Saturday, April 19 from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Maiden Rock United Methodist Church.  We plan to bring down around 20 bicycles to give away to folks living in the area, and also will offer a free repair clinic where locals can bring their bicycles in for maintenance and repairs.  We can use a few mechanics for this special day, so consider spending a few hours helping show some bike love to some people who don’t have access to a nearby bike shop.  Call me at 651-641-1037 for details.

We are also approaching our spring cleanup season.  We have recycling events scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at Andover and Saturday, May 3 at Fridley.  We take our show on the road to those locations and collect the bicycles people bring to us.  We also do some tear-downs, and harvesting of parts.  Sometimes we are inundated with bicycles, while other times we have a lighter work load.  Regardless of the number of bicycles we get, we always manage to have a good time, and we usually get some pretty good food in the bargain.  You don’t need a lot of skill to help at a cleanup, so contact me if you are interested in this volunteer opportunity.

We haven’t yet set the date for English Day, but it will be held on one of the Sundays in April (but not the 20th, we will be closed for Easter).  We will post it on the calendar, on this page, and also on our Facebook page.  By the way, if you haven’t yet “liked” us on Facebook, now is the time.  We want to get to 1,000 likes in time for Mr. Michael’s birthday in June.

We can never thank our volunteers enough, so here goes another shout-out to Tom R, Kendra M, Bill W, Tom Y, and Zach H for being there on those cold winter nights.  Also a welcome to the Weasel and Molly who have joined our efforts.  Here’s hopin’ to see you soon at the shop.

The February shop schedule is as follows:

Sundays – February 2, 15, and 23 – Noon to 4 PM (Shop closed February 9 for Blaine Swap)

Tuesdays – February 4, 11, 18, and 25 – 7 PM to 9 PM

Thursdays – February 6, 13, 20, and 27 – 7 PM to 9 PM

 

Special event on Sunday, February 9, Blaine Velo Swap.  This annual event is your chance to snag extra-special deals on some of the best stuff MMRB has to offer.  We haul it all up to the Schwann Center, which is located at the National Sports Center in Blaine.  The Swap begins at 9 AM and they charge $5 for admission.  There are lots of other vendors there besides us, and there are always great deals, so plan a day up at Blaine for the Swap, and be sure to stop by our table.

The final bicycle give-away count for 2013 was 720.  That is a little short of the 755 we gave away in 2012, but we did remodel the shop so that slowed us down just a little.  For January 2014 we gave away 20 bicycles, so we are off to a pretty good start.  We have a group at a school over in Minneapolis that need a bunch of boys 20″ bicycles with coaster brakes.  We ran out of these during December due to overwhelming demand from the Holiday Wishes program.  If any of you have any 20″ boys bicycles available for this effort, please bring them in to us.

Other special events scheduled for later in the year include the Andover Recycling Day (last Saturday in April), the Fridley and St. Francis Recycling Day events (first Saturday in May), and a bicycle give-away program in Maiden Rock, WI on Saturday, April 19.  We have several other events in the planning stages, so watch this space for further details.

Our sales have been very low these last three months – lower than they have been for a few years.  While our primary mission is to give away bicycles, we still need to sell enough stuff to pay the bills, and we have fallen short for our third straight month.  We need customers to come in and buy our stuff.  If you know someone who is in the market to buy a bicycle or who needs some parts, please send them our way.   We also do repairs, and our labor rate is an affordable $15 per hour.  We keep our repair prices as low as possible.  Now is a good time to bring in bicycles for repair, because our workload is low.  Once we get to March, things get really busy and repairs take longer due to high volume.  My guess is that the weather will turn nice all at once – get your bicycle tuned up now so you are ready to ride on that first warm day.

As always, we look forward to seeing you at our shop.

The January shop schedule is as follows:

Sundays – January 5, 12, 19, and 26 – Noon to 4 PM

Tuesdays – January 7, 14, 21, and 28 – 7 PM to 9 PM

Thursdays – January 2, 16, 23, and 30 – 7 PM to 9 PM (closed on January 9)

The 2013 bicycle total was 720 given away!  Considering that we had a lot of down time due to the remodeling project, this is a great total.  It was our second-biggest year, only topped by the 2012 total of 755.  For this year the goal is to exceed 800.  Our other goal is to get our Facebook “likes” over 1000.  Right now we are at 780, so we only need 220 more.  We will be pushing this on our Facebook page.  If you are reading this and have not yet “liked” Mr. Michael Recycles Bicycles on Facebook, please take a minute and do so.  If you already like us, tell your friends to like us too.

Sales have been very slow these last two months and we didn’t even come close to making rent.  It is a good thing we had some strong months during the summer to help us save back some money to help us through the lean times.  We are going to renew our efforts in the sales department to get more interesting stuff in the shop.

This will seem counter-intuitive, but we are going to do something different this year.  We are going to give 10% of all income to charity.  Our volunteers will get together and select 4 charities to receive the money.  We will divide the year into quarters, and designate a charity for each one.  We have not yet selected the quarter 1 charity, but when we do, we will publish it here and on our Facebook page.

Please set aside Sunday, February 9 to come and see us at the Blaine Velo Swap.  This is held each year at the Schwann Center at the National Sports Center complex in Blaine.  There is a small admission charge, but it is used to benefit the NSC Velodrome.  It is a good cause, so come out and support us and the Velodrome.

With these cold temperatures come hot times in the shop.  The building is served by a steam heater and we cannot control the temperature in the store, so the boiler usually runs full blast during the winter.  If you want to experience t-shirt temps, just stop by the store any time that we are open and warm up.  We love the company.