Store owner Rich Coombs searches for a video on Facebook as he stands in front of his inventory, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Rich and his family have been in business for nearly 50 years and have been at their current location for over 40 years (Ryan Li).
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated quarantine, many people around the country have reconsidered the methods of transportation in the places they live, especially in the major cities such as Boston and New York City. With cars being a sub-optimal option for the urban dweller and public transit posing a risk of exposure, many people went out and bought a bike to navigate the city. Local bike shops around the country experienced increased demand for bikes and the services needed to keep them in good condition, but with disruptions to supply chains also caused by COVID-19 restrictions, bikes and parts became harder to obtain, with some waitlists extending to June 2023 [1].
Community Bike Supply, a local bike shop located in the South End of Boston, Massachusetts, has been in service for nearly half a century and has weathered the effects of the pandemic. Speaking to the owner, Rich Coombs, and his family members who help him run the shop, I got to get a firsthand account of how the pandemic affected the shop. Due to the parts and bike shortages, Tish “T” Coombs told me that the shop was kept afloat by their repair revenue, giving an estimate of about 65% of the money coming from repairs versus 35% for actual sales.
Mechanic Fabian Gil records a repair order for a customer on April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Gil can be found behind the rear counter doing everything from taking customer repairs and orders to completing tune-ups to restocking inventory (Ryan Li).
Phil Coombs stands behind the front desk checking orders for inventory, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Phil mainly works in the front, ringing up customers and helping whomever passes through the store. He has worked at Community for 42 years, but is nulling retirement soon to join his wife in Florida (Ryan Li).
Mechanic Andy Qiu adjusts the brakes on a customer's bike, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Qiu works two jobs: as a mechanic at Community Bike Supply and as a retail associate in Boston Logan Airport, but said he enjoyed being a mechanic significantly more (Ryan Li).
Recently, as of writing, supplies have started to ease back into the supply chain, but it is still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. Tish said that she sold her bike during the pandemic and has been wanting to purchase another one, but the wait for it is too long currently.
Sales of parts that do come into the shop have become more difficult as well, as explained to me by Phil Coombs. With more people shopping online nowadays, it is more difficult to run brick and mortar stores, especially when online prices are even more competitive than ever. Phil told me that sometimes prices on Amazon are below that of even distributor prices, and that is even before the retail markup for the shop.
A couple stands outside of the shop doors after picking up a repair and purchasing a pair of biking shoes, April 22, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. They mentioned that they had purchased the bike the day before off of Facebook Marketplace and brought it in to get cleaned and tuned up for an upcoming bike race (Ryan Li)
A bike recently purchased by a young couple bears an old sticker of Community Bike Supply, April 22, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. The bike had been purchased at the shop years ago, and when the mechanics pointed out the sticker, the owner said "it was destiny" for the bike to be brought in for a tune (Ryan Li).
As a small shop, Community never advertised much, relying on consistent, loyal customers and word of mouth to get the shop known. Being around for so long, many customers have spread good words about the shop, mainly regarding the great service and lively atmosphere of the shop.
Mechanic Fabian Gil demonstrates an obsolete tool used to measure spoke tension, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Gil learned to build wheels from some of the most experienced wheel builders in the business, according to himself (Ryan Li).
A customer speaks to mechanic Fabian Gil regarding a repair as Gil inspects her bike, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. As the weather warms, business starts to pick up for the mechanics as people bring their bikes out for tunes and repairs before the summer season (Ryan Li).
Store owner Rich Coombs holds the door open for a customer after a repair is completed, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. Rich is everywhere in the shop, from aiding customers with purchases in the front to helping the mechanics with repairs in the back (Ryan Li).
With a laid-back attitude when not hard at work fixing bikes or selling parts, the atmosphere was inviting and never too overwhelming, mainly due to the personalities found in the shop. Everyone was willing to pitch in to help a customer with anything they needed, from the most complex of repairs down to helping customers browse the store, all while maintaining smiles.
Andy Qiu smiles at a remark made by another mechanic after the shop is closed for the day, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. The mechanics gather in the warehouse for a quick destressing period with some beers before heading home for the night.
Fabian Gil and the other bike mechanics sit on crates in the warehouse after store closing to enjoy a beer and socialize, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. The mechanics are a tight knit group and enjoy poking light fun at each other (Ryan Li).
The family-owned business features a tight-knit group of mechanics, not afraid to poke light fun at each other. They love to show off cool bikes around the shop, whether it be the newest and greatest or an old rare classic.
Store owner Rich Coombs sets off on his commute back home after closing shop, April 15, 2022 at Community Bike Supply, Boston, Massachusetts. A bike commuter for 50 years, only taking public transit when biking is not feasible, Coombs sold his car once his daughter was old enough to travel on her own (Ryan Li).
As with many shops, as time goes on, life influences the bottom line. Not only is there more competition within the retail space, especially from online retailers, but as Rich and his family get older, they are mulling retirement and wondering about the future of the shop, but with strong support from the community around them, their near future appears strong.