Business of the Month Mar. 2011

In an effort to support local business, especially those businesses that give to the Dorchester community, MyDorchester features a Business of the Month. Businesses are selected based on three criteria: contribution to the Dorchester community, quality of service/product, and being locally owned in Dorchester.

Many of Dorchester’s residents opt to work or play on two wheels. Whether commuting downtown to an office job, riding to and through Franklin Park or traversing the Neponset Greenway, the opportunities for Dorchester bikers have been ample. Biking in Dorchester has not been without problems, but advocates for bipedal freewheeling have fought hard to resolve issues and make both trails and traffic bike-friendly. A lack of lock-ups prompted BOLD Teens to seek bike racks in the redeveloped Cronin-Wainwright Park. Thanks to collaboration between DotBike, the City and the MBTA, Ashmont Station will soon have a “Pedal and Park” Bike Cage. Next steps include working on the development of Dot Ave and closing the gap in the Harbor Trail between Tenaen Beach and UMass Boston.

But one problem has been more difficult to solve: where to go when the bike breaks, when the tire’s flat or when one simply needs a tune up? Dorchester has been without a proper bike shop for years, and it’s in the current context of action and advocacy that veteran cyclist and many-time bike shop employee Jack Pelletier began to inquire about a store.

Having moved to Boston for law school some time ago, Pelletier has lived in Dorchester since 2000 and sits on the board of St. Mark’s Area Main Street. He began having conversations last summer (2010) about opening a bike shop and met or spoke with groups like DotBike and DEHC, as well as “Boston Bike Czar” Nicole Freedman. The idea of having his own shop came in July, after the talks had grounded the theoretical shop into something real and tangible. Releasing a survey in the fall, Jack was pleased to discover that 80% of responders favored bringing a bike shop to Dorchester. Of these, most were families or commuters—groups likely to stay in the area and to continue biking.

Confident in his customer base, Jack secured the 551A Talbot Ave. spot—conveniently located by the Ashmont T Station and by a number of affable small-business owners and restaurateurs. The two-level shop has space for bikes, gear, repairs, customers and even room for expansion. Open March 1, Ashmont Cycles is stocked with Fuji, Linus, and S.E. bikes—slick models that evoke words like “urban,” “commuter,” and “Euro-inspired.” The variety of cycles is sufficient to satisfy children, parents, commuters or even trendy bike hipsters. A prominent bike-repair station faces the front windows, reminding one that this is a place to get bikes back on the streets of Dorchester.

Proprietor Jack Pelletier is happy to work with the community, and to expand business to rentals or secondhand bike sales if there’s enough interests. The store will have a grand opening in April, date to be determined—be sure to check in with Ashmont Cycles from time to time, as it promises to be a great resource for young and old, near and far, veteran and novice bikers. 

For restoring a valuable commodity to the community, MyDorchester.org nominates Ashmont Cycles the March 2011 Business of the Month!

Want to get the wheels turning? You can contact Ashmont Cycles by calling them at 617-282-6552, or emailing jack@ashmontcycles.com. You can also check out Ashmont Cycles' website.

If you know a business that would be great as our Business of the Month, please email your recommendation to info@mydorchester.org.

See past Businesses of the Month here.
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