st interviewed Rethink Your Ride business sponsor Chris Robinson, owner of Swerve. Swerve is a local bike shop and has prices that range from $1 to over $7,000. Chris said that Oberlin has had a history of having more bikes than cars and upon noticing that a bike shop was missing from this equation, it was an easy decision to start a bike shop business.
Oberlin has many people who enjoy biking around town, it is also a town located along the North Coast Island Trail and downtown. In addition, Oberlin serves as a spur Route along the Backroads to Beaches trail. Last but not least, Oberlin is also a hub along the Underground Railroad ride for bicyclists traveling to Canada by way of Detroit. For more information on the alternative route visit: http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/new-cycling-route-brings-underground-railroad-alive.
Chris says their bike shop is unique because it is not chain. And he is not just a locally operated business but an avid bike rider as well. Swerve focuses on good bike service and repair for their customers. In fact half of their business is fixing flat tires and adjusting breaks. Swerve is proud to be a sponsor for the Oberlin College cycling team. Also, many of you may not be aware, Swerve recently started a bicycle renting business. A person can rent a bike for $8 and hour or $25 for the day!
A customer shopping at Swerve stopped to tell Linda that he supports Swerve 100%. This customer said he has called Swerve over 15 times in the past few weeks for advice and the employees are always friendly and super service oriented. This customer will no longer support the bike shop chains he has been going to.
Other places in Oberlin where Chris shops is Oberlin IGA, Oberlin Market, Gibson’s Bakery and Ben Franklin. He also gets his hair done at Adeva because he doesn’t mind paying a little extra for a haircut and scalp massage, where he also is served tea and cookies. The places he likes to eat is The Feve, Black River, Lorenzo’s Pizzeria and Slow Train.
Swerve Bike Shop
Owner: Chris Robinson
23 S. Main Street
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Phone: 440-774-7978
Email: [email protected]
Store hours:
Mon - Fri 10am - 7pm
Sat & Sun 10am - 5pm
YOU CAN ALSO FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK!
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Oberlin Community Services Executive Director Linda Arbogast interviewed Chris Heinebrodt and Amanda Heinebrodt about their local business called Simply Elegant Candle & Gift. Their store is located at 29 South Main Street, Oberlin (former location of Infinite Monkey.) Chris Heinebrodt is the owner and President and his wife Amanda is the Vice President of this Oberlin business.
Chris and his wife Amanda consider their store a boutique of candles and gifts. Their store items price range from 99 cents to $120. The reason Chris and Amanda opened up a store in Oberlin is because they grew up in Lorain County. After college they moved to Oberlin because they loved the downtown. They waited for a spot to open up downtown and then the perfect spot became available.
The items in their store come primarily from Ohio. They also sell many items made right in Oberlin or in the County. There are often coupons and special deals on their Facebook page, so check it out. They love Oberlin as believe there is no other community in the County that would care about locally made products and gifts.
Like many of the other business owners and managers, the money spent at their store is turned around and spent at other stores within the community. Other places they like to shop in town include Watson’s Hardware, the antique store (next door to them,) and the Workshop Art Gallery, which is located across the Street. They work 6 days a week and eat out for lunch everyday. They favorite lunch spots include Black River Café and the Mandarin.
Simply Elegant Candle & Gift is one of the weekly sponsors of the Rethink Your Ride Alternative Transportation Challenge. We encourage everyone to and stop by to say “hello” to Chris and Amanda at Simply Elegant Candle & Gift and support our local small businesses in Oberlin
(Simply Elegant Candle & Gift website picture)
Simply Elegant Candle & Gift
Owners: Chris & Amanda Henebrodt
29 South Main Street
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Phone: 440-775-1980
Website: www.simplyelegantcandle.com
They are also on Facebook and offer specials there!
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