It may have taken longer than initially expected, but the
Wheelhouse Detroit bicycle shop has officially opened for business in downtown Hamtramck. The Hamtramck location complements owner Kelli Kavanaugh's original Wheelhouse Detroit, which opened on the Detroit RiverWalk in 2008.
Since we first reported on the Hamtramck location
this past March, Kavanaugh has been working on getting the storefront ready for business. Permits have been approved, inspections have been passed, and numerous construction projects have been completed, including a new roof, lighting, and HVAC and electrical systems.
While it may not be prime bike-buying season, Kavanaugh wanted to open the store on Black Friday and in time for the holiday shopping rush.
"I feel relieved," Kavanaugh says of the store's opening. "It's a mixture of excitement and anxiety. It's a fruition of a dream several years in the making but there's that anxiety of spending the money on the new shop. But the exciting things in life are always a combination of those two feelings."
In stocking the store with bicycles, accessories, and active wear, Kavanaugh has placed an emphasis on selecting products that were made in the United States. Those products include bicycles from the Detroit-based Detroit Bikes, locks from Kabletek, and bags from Green Guru, Alchemy, Chrome Industries, Ironweed and Timbuk2.
Kavanaugh has also teamed up with Hamtramck-based apparel maker William + Bonnie, creating a new line of cycling clothing for professionals cycling to work. The line of apparel is available exclusively at the Wheelhouse shop.
[Check out
this Model D article on the unique aesthetic of the garment shop William + Bonnie]
Other Wheelhouse features include a service department, rentals, and guided tours.
The shop's winter hours are Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., Monday, noon to 6 p.m., Thursday, noon to 6 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The new Wheelhouse Detroit is located at 9401 Joseph Campau St. in Hamtramck.
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