As bikes are being used by folks in the gig economy to make deliveries and by residents who want to get around without using a motor vehicle (and get outside for exercise), it’s critical that people be able to use bikes that are in good repair and fix them when necessary. That’s why we’re pleased to announce that the City of Philadelphia has just declared bicycle shops “essential businesses” which can remain open during the pandemic.
It was scary yesterday to read the limited list of businesses that are allowed to remain open during this “containment” period. Yesterday and today we were asked by several bike shop owners if we would help advocate that bike shops be included in the list of those businesses considered essential.
As we were contacting the administration and putting together a letter/petition campaign, the Mayor issued an updated list of essential businesses and announced that bike shops are considered essential and can open for business.
So, you can now keep your bike in good repair and support your local Philly bike shop.
Thank you Philly bike shops! Thank you Mayor Kenney!
Keep safe out there!
Good on Philly! Now someone contact the mayor in San Francisco and ask why they’re not doing the same.
What are some of the steps bike shops are taking to protect individuals against the virus and what are some of the steps Philly bike shops have made to adapt thier business? It’s an interesting time. My boyfriend is a service manager in a bike shop in Vermont as well and they are staying open. While my work has been able to work remotely to isolate, however my boyfriend can’t. The bike shop has been following precautions, spraying service bikes down with before they are touched and limiting customer exposure by limiting how many customers can come into the shop at a time (and what they can touch). Any share outs of how each shop is managing customers at this time is helpful for all. Thanks!
Hi Sarah: Here you go: https://bicyclecoalition.org/heres-how-philly-bike-shops-are-handling-the-pandemic/
Doing it RIGHT Philly!