SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BRAIN) Thursday May 3 2012 11:43 AM MT—Rapha's only permanent retail location started as a temporary "pop-up" store that the clothing company planned to operate for three months last spring and summer.
Now the store, called the Rapha Cycle Club, is celebrating its one-year anniversary and its operators feel it's become an integral part of the cycling community.
The store is on the corner of Filbert and Fillmore and features the full line of Rapha products, as well as coffee and bakery items. It does not do bike service or sell non-Rapha goods, manager Dante Campanile said, but it does offer in-store bike parking and a big community table.
"The whole idea was to build community here," Campanile said.
The store hosts weekly rides, shows live race coverage and vintage cycling films and displays a collection of cycling photography and ephemera.
The store offers same day delivery of Rapha clothing, by bicycle courier, within the city.
"If it's a Friday and you are doing a gran fondo Saturday and need a pair of bibs, we can get them to your home or office Friday afternoon," he said.
The courier charge is $20 or free for orders of $300 or more.
For the anniversary weekend, the store is holding a private party Saturday evening with food and drink, a replay of the day's Giro d'Italia stage, and a 15 percent discount.
