Cycle City Rolling Into River Market with Second Location

(Editor’s note: CityScene is taking some time off for a vacation, this article originally appeared on July 6.)

By Kevin Collison

Cycle City, a popular Parkville bicycle shop for 18 years, plans to open a second location in the River Market this October in the historic Water Building at 201 Main St.

Owner Joe Fox and his partner Derek Braun decided a second operation made sense in one of downtown’s most dynamic neighborhoods.

“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a little while and I’ve been looking for the right spot and space,” Fox said.

“There’s been a boom in bicycling and it’s an area that’s underserved. I love the River Market. It’s booming. The lofts and condos are popping up and it still has a neighborhood feel.”

Which is great for Cycle City, a bike shop that Fox described as a “neighborhood-type store.”

Cycle City has been in Parkville for 18 years. (Photo from Cycle City webpage)

“We’re definitely well known in the Northland and more or less citywide,” he said.

“We sell everything from kid’s bikes to entry- to mid-level bikes for families on up to very high end road, mountain, gravel and custom-made bikes as well.”

Cycle City also will have a very convivial neighbor on the first floor of the Water Building. It will be next to River Bluff Brewing of St. Joe, which is currently renovating its space for an opening later this year.

“We’ll definitely ‘tap’ into that,” Fox said. “We haven’t met yet, but we plan to start collaborating as soon as we can.”

The historic building opened in 1905 to house the stable, warehouse and shops for the City Water Department. It was recently purchased by developer Chris Sally who has updated the structure after an earlier renovation in 2003.

Cycle City considers itself a neighborhood bicycle shop selling everything from kid’s bikes to high-end custom-built models. (Image from Cycle City website)

“We wanted to locate retail and neighborhood services on the first floor of the building close to the activity along the pedestrian and bicycle trail,” Sally said, noting its next to the Town of Kansas bridge at the foot of Main.

Sally added his brokers, Tim Schaffer and Tommy McNeese, managed to completely lease his building over the past year despite the pandemic.

Cycle City will occupy 4,600 square feet with 3,500 square-feet dedicated to retail operations and the remainder for servicing bikes. Fox hopes the shop will become a hub for bicycling enthusiasts.

“We generally hold four group rides each week from Parkville and we’ll add more group rides to the other store as well,” he said.

“We like to tap into the community and do events. Once you get comfortable and used to the terrain, Kansas City is a bike-friendly city.”