BUFFALO, N.Y. — With more people biking than ever, one popular shop in the Elmwood Village's is expanding to a second location on Niagara Street.
Campus WheelWorks is now open for business at 1330 Niagara Street, at Lafayette Avenue. The expansion has been in the works for years, and was delayed by the pandemic.
"Covid probably added year to our timeline, but in the end it was probably for the best because it gave us some more time to get some things right and get caught up."
Co-owner Ethan Johnson says with infrastructure changes on Niagara Street, including the city's first protected bike lane, the timing is ideal.
"There's about to be the very first, in Buffalo, two way protected bicycle lane, or cycle track on our side of the street, we saw this building in what is about to be a really cool place to ride a bike, and we're like this is it. This the recipe for our future success. This is a part of the community that we want to be a part of."
The bike industry is still responding to a global shortage brought on by the pandemic, but Johnson says the shop has plenty of bikes to get started.
"We have two bike racks full as well as plenty of bikes in the back, so we've been trying to get prepared and squirreling away as much as we can," he said. "But there is likelihood of a bike shortage being a real thing again, so if somebody is interested in getting a bike, or upgrading their bike or whatever, it would be wise to do so early this year because it is very likely that supply is going to run out again."
Campus WheelWorks group rides and events are on hold for now, but will eventually run out of the Niagara Street location. You can stay up to date with their events calendar through their website, and through Campus Cycling Collective, their non-profit devoted to providing Buffalo's cycling community with resources and getting people on their bikes.