SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN)—Velo Cult owner Sky Boyer is the first to admit that life in Portland, Oregon, will take some getting used to.
“My reflex reaction to rain is to stay in and sleep,” said the Los Angeles native, who will shut down his San Diego shop effective Jan. 1 and relocate with his four employees to a new space in the Rose City midmonth.
Boyer has narrowed his location search to two spaces in Portland that are four to five times the 1,200 square feet he has been operating out of in Southern California. The extra room will allow for a broader product line, adding more cyclocross, 29er and steel road bikes to Velo Cult’s touring, commuter and randonneuring offerings.
The shop, which opened as Velo Culture in 2006, will also increase its already heavy emphasis on cycling culture, such as art and events, noted Boyer. “We’re pretty much a Portland store in the wrong city. We’re very commuter-oriented, very city-oriented,” he said.
Ahead of the move, Boyer has handed over the reins of sdbikecommuter.com, an online forum and discount program he started that offers savings to cyclists who roll up to designated San Diego businesses on their bikes.
In addition to the SoCal weather, Boyer said he will miss many of the loyal customers he has cultivated in San Diego. “I wish I could take them with me. But some are talking about moving to Portland, so maybe I’ll see them again,” he said.
