Bike Shops Declare Themselves Essential Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow across the U.S., various cities, counties, and states have begun implementing shutdowns in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

These shutdowns include mandatory closures of almost all bBut one type of very important business is having to fight for its “essential” status: Bike shops.

While declaring bike shops to be essential was no question for a bicycle mecca like the Netherlands, the decision in several areas around the U.S. haven’t been so decisive.

San Francisco, along with several surrounding counties, was issued a “shelter in place” order on March 17. The order was then extended to the entire state of California by Governor Gavin Newsom two days later. Though bike shops were not listed as essential in the order, bike shop owners throughout the area disagreed.

“We are open until told otherwise,” Mike Jacoubowsky, the owner of Chain Reaction Bicycles in Redwood City, told BRAIN. “We will engage the relevant authorities (which we tried to do yesterday) and make our case.”

Meanwhile, auto repair and supply businesses were automatically included on the list as essential. To not do the same for bike shops, though, showed an ignorance of how many people in our country—cities in particular—do not own or rely on personal vehicles for mobility.

Thankfully, Mayor of San Francisco London Breed stepped up and deemed bike repair shops essential, as many San Franciscans use their bikes as a main mode of transportation.usinesses, apart from those deemed essential like grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and more.

Source: https://bit.ly/33H7YEF