July 29th 2019, Philadelphia, PA - Keystone Bicycle Co, a new worker-owned bike shop, will join NextFab in the makerspace's new location at 1800 N American Street. In addition to NextFab and Keystone Bicycle Co. the building will house multiple other businesses including Philadelphia's creative reuse center, The Resource Exchange. The worker-owners of Keystone Bicycle Co. are now developing programming plans and building out the new space in preparation for the inaugural season.
Planned to open in the spring of 2020, Keystone Bicycle Co. will be a full-service bicycle shop geared towards serving a variety of cycling groups in Philadelphia, from adventure and distance cyclists to everyday commuters and casual riders. The cooperative's goal is to make cycling more accessible to Philadelphians by providing personalized and knowledgeable service, quality products, and community empowerment through education. As a worker-owned business, the employees practice democratic decision making and collective ownership.
"Being a co-op means that we're all invested in giving the best service possible." says worker-owner, Zachary Rachell. "We aim to be a hub for cycling education and inspiration in Philadelphia."
The five worker-owners include Ryan Stanis, Natalie "Woody" Felice, Ag Manta, Nicholas Manta, and Zachary Rachell. Their collective experience with touring, mountain biking, randonneuring, and commuting miles allows them to provide knowledgeable, personalized, and custom service. "Nothing feels better than a bike that is wholly and uniquely yours, and we're here to make that happen," says worker-owner Ryan Stanis. "Sharing a space with NextFab will give us the opportunity to offer custom fabrications for our customers' unique builds," adds worker-owner Ag Manta.
"We're excited to offer mechanic classes, host group rides, and offer a space for people to come in and be stoked about bikes with us." says worker-owner Natalie Felice.
Before opening, Keystone Bicycle Co. will provide support for cyclists at Bikeout 2019 this September. Visit Bikeoutphl.com for more details.
About Keystone Bicycle Co.
Keystone Bicycle Co. is a worker-owned cooperative bicycle shop, founded in 2019. Keystone Bicycle Co. offers experienced sales, service, and education with the goal of bringing together a community of cyclists interested in riding, wrenching, and learning together. For more information, visit keystone.bike.
About NextFab
Founded by Dr. Evan Malone in 2009, with three locations in the mid-Atlantic region, NextFab is the premier destination for makers, artisans, and hardware entrepreneurs. NextFab provides the tools, training, consulting, and capital required for innovators to turn ideas into products, and products into businesses. For more information, visit nextfab.com.
