T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM
Bev Reed and Dave Crow talk to Bridgeport Village Council members about the upcoming Shop Party at Quick Service Bicycle Shop, where they will celebrate the shop’s 50th anniversary. The party is set to begin at 8 a.m. June 24 with a bike path ride from Wheeling Heritage Port.
BRIDGEPORT — Quick Service Bicycle Shop plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary next month with a Shop Party.
Bev Reed, whose family owns the bike shop, and Dave Crow, an employee of the store, met with Bridgeport Village Council on Tuesday to alert members of the shop’s upcoming milestone and to request that a portion of the street in Aetnaville be blocked off during the event.
“My parents opened the shop in 1973, and we wanted to do a little something for the community to celebrate,” Reed said.
The event is set for June 24 at the shop, located at 701 N. Lincoln Ave. in Bridgeport. The day will kick off at 8 a.m. with a celebration bike path ride at Wheeling Heritage Port. A shop sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a free barbecue lunch to follow from 2-4 p.m. that will also include Brewkeepers Beer and live music from the band Faire May. All participants can enter for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the shop.
Crow said they are anticipating a “decent size crowd” for the event where activities will be conducted outdoors, which is why the partial street closure would be beneficial.
“We’d like to acquire that room just for customer overflow and participants of our anniversary party,” he said.
Reed requested that the block in front of the shop be closed off from noon to 5 p.m.
“It would be from where Fifth Street starts to the end of our block. There’s a reroute that would be on Mill Street. There’s two reasons why we’re asking — one is because we’re expecting a lot of people, like 50-75 people, and we have a small yard and a small shop so there’s going to be a lot of overflow. And the second reason is there’s a lot of fast-moving cars on that road and it’s dangerous. People speed like crazy on that road,” she said.
Solicitor Michael Shaheen suggested that since they expect the party to start at noon, officials close off the area an hour prior at 11 a.m. to allow adequate time for traffic to be rerouted. He also advised that Police Chief John Bumba or an officer conduct a walk-through of the proposed closure area prior to council’s approval.
Reed and Crow invited members of council to attend the event.
“We’ve been there 50 years in Bridgeport. There aren’t too many businesses left. I’ve been there toughing it out since ’90. We’ve got a lot of people we’ve catered to over the years — appliances and bikes. Her (Reed’s) father-in-law and her dad have fixed so many appliances for all these people in the area in the valley, and we want to celebrate,” Crow said.
It was initially thought that council could not approve the request due to a lack of quorum because former councilwoman Shirley Hamilton resigned last month and Councilman Robert Bennington was absent. However, Shaheen said that because they had three of five members present, council could call a vote.
The request to close the portion of the roadway from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24 was unanimously approved, subject to approval from Bumba.
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