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Good news for bicycling enthusiasts, former Grand Marais city councilor Tim Kennedy is interested in reestablishing a full-service bicycle shop in Grand Marais.
Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith closed his Fireweed Coop bike shop during the COVID- 19 pandemic because he could neither get bikes nor parts in any sort of timely fashion because the supply chain was busted. When Jay closed his shop, that left the City without a place to purchase bikes or have them fixed.
Kennedy is proposing to buy a parcel of City owned land, adjacent to the public works facility. It’s a location he feels will best serve the cycling public.
In an email to the City council, Kennedy, himself an avid mountain biker, said the property he wants is well suited “for development of a bike shop due to its highway frontage, location on the new Gitchi Gami Bike Trail, and has access to water and sewer.
“The need for a bike shop in Grand Marais has been well established by the over 25 year history of Superior North Outdoor Center, operated by Mark and Melinda Spinler, and Fireweed Bike Coop, which closed, in part, to difficulties with COVID.”
Kennedy noted that he has over 35 years of business experience and has served as President of the Superior Cycling Association for the last ten years.
“I have the ability to bring a bike shop back to Grand Marais to serve local visitor needs,” he said. “At a time when new mountain bike trails have been developed, which are drawing riders from around the Midwest and beyond and the soon to be opened section of the Gitchi Gami State Trail that riders are wanting to experience, the need for a full-service bike shop is more than necessary than ever.”
Kennedy made his presentation to the City council on July 14. We will have an update on how that proposal was received by council in the next edition of the newspaper.
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