California bike store shuts down after 101-year run

After more than a century in business, and countless wheels in motion, a Bay Area institution is closing up shop.

Hank & Frank Bicycles, founded in 1925, announced this week that its final day of business will be August 31.

According to the shop’s website, “This decision comes with full hearts, deep gratitude, and an enduring love for the community that has carried us for generations.”

Hank & Frank was founded in 1925 on East 14th Street in Oakland; after several location changes, the shop found its permanent home in Lafayette, where it has operated for the past 52 years.

Dale Dryer took over the business from the eponymous Hank 57 years ago, carrying forward “a tradition of craftsmanship, honesty, and neighborly care.”

Dale’s son Frank is the current owner of the shop and steward of that proud tradition, having spent his childhood building trikes and sweeping the shop floors before buying the Lafayette location from his father in 1991.

“I was born into it,” Dryer told the San Francisco Chronicle.

To that end, Dryer’s decision to close the storefront is not the result of economic struggle nor the crushing competition of online retailers.

Rather, the building recently acquired new owners who want to convert his space into a dance studio, a choice that Dryer took as a sign to retire, or hang up his wheels, so to speak.

“I’m pretty sad that I’m leaving,” he said. “But I need to retire. If I had a kid, his name would be Hank, and he’d be taking over the business.”

In his farewell message, Dryer shared that his life’s mission has been to “help people experience the freedom, confidence, connection, and joy that a bicycle can bring. Whether it was a child’s first ride, a family’sweekend adventure, a commuter’s daily route, or a lifelong cyclist’s next great bike, we have believed that every rider deserves care, respect, and guidance they can trust.”

Dryer said that over the years he’s seen competitors come and go, but customers remain. That loyalty is owed in part to the free lifetime of tuneups that come with every bike purchase.

To ensure that care continues, Dryer is handing over the perk to a mom-and-pop shop in Walnut Creek.

Per the Hank & Frank’s website, customers old and new are invited to visit the shop between now and August 31 to: “Pick out your next quality bicycle, schedule service with our exceptional mechanics, share a memory, a story, or a simple hello, and let us thank you in person for being part of our journey.”

Some customers have done just that, with several leaving notes of appreciation for Dryer and kind words of encouragement for his retirement.

“It has been our honor to help keep you moving for so many years,” the retirement announcement continues.

“More than anything, we hope you know how deeply grateful we are—for every mile shared, every relationship built, and every moment of trust you placed in us.”

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