PRESS

Two-wheeled wonder

Snelling shop refurbishes bikes, employs youth

by Lucas Rayala

Tucked inside a gutted mechanic's garage on the southeast corner of Snelling and Marshall avenues, partially hidden behind a cramped drive-thru coffee hut, lurks a one-of-its-kind bicycle store.

Walk into Express Bike Shop on 234 N. Snelling* and you'll be assailed by the smell of tires, grease, cleaner and leather seats. That's nothing unusual, assures Patrick Soulak, a 27-year-old mechanic who, by his own acoount, "eats, drinks and breathes bikes."

What is unusual about Express is that Soulak is the oldest employee you'll encounter at the store.

Express Bike Shop is a youth-directed business designed to teach students between the ages of 14-18 the art of bike repair, as well as customer service, sales, accounting and other general business skills.

Josh Harper, 17, who wears a silver necklace and earring and has his hair pulled back in cornrows, greets customers amiably as they enter the front door. Harper has worked at Express for three years, doing bike repairs, manning the till and getting his hand into just about every aspect of the business.

"It's fun and exciting," Harper said, "I get to do the stuff I like to do best."

Like the bikes the workers produce, the budget has been assembled from a plethora of parts. Express Bike Shop lists 27 organizations that have provided various types of economic assistance.

"Our funding is a combination of sources...some state funding, private foundation grants and corporate [donations]," said Randy Treichel, director of enterprise development for Youth Express recently opened Expression Skateboard Shop*, located on the corner of Selby and Griggs avenues.

Unlike the craftsmanship at Express Bike, however, the shop's funding hasn't held up to the rigors of a hard road. The revent economic troubles have reduced funding from parties across the board, taking a 15-20 percent bite from the budget.

"It won't be possible to do what we've been doing for 20 percent less," Treichel said.

In order to keep its doors open, Express may have to increase its cost to consumers to make up the financial difference, Treichel said. They have already been forced to reduce the number of teenagers in the program. Unlike the seven to 10 students hired in summers past, only four teens had the opportunity to get grease under their nails this year.

Express already keeps its costs low by purchasing its bikes from St. Paul police auctions, stripping them for parts and rebuilding them from the ground up, when necessary. The nonprofit also gets donations from residents and pays below-market rent to nearby Liberty State Bank, which own the red-brick building that houses the shop.

Treichel said the store wouldn't be able to afford such a prime location without the bank's assistance.

The shop has operated for nine years, offering repairs and refurbished bikes at some of the lowest prices in town. Many Express customers are college students and people living in the neighborhood, hoping to save a dollar and support Express Bikes, said Dave Melvin, day manager.

"You get all the same work for much less," said Meriiam Park resident Sam Dwyer as he lounged on a plastic chair behind Cahoots Coffee Bar on Selby Avenue. "They don't try to push anything... [they're] good for the community."

Melvin looked around the cluttered store packed with bikes in various states of repair. "The upfront appearance is a bit 'different'," he said.

But that doesn't detract from the workmanship. "The quality is up there," Melvin said. "I believe in the mission of this organization."

Summer may be over, but Express Bike Shop remains open. Stop by for a look between 3-6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.*

*NOTE: Location and store hours have changed since this article was written. See column on the left for updated information.
Expression Skate Shop is no longer in business.