Oak Ridge Bicycle Center

10 Presidents

Thursday, June 15th, 2023 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Never would have thought in a hundred years that I would have occasion to write this. Yet, here I am.

Oak Ridge Bicycle Center is passing through a milestone this month. A big one. If I’d been asked in, say, 1980, or 1990, or even 2000 if this was a future possibility, I would have laughed, and most likely not bothered to respond.

2600 weekends, give or take.

18,250 days, plus a few Leap Year add-ons.

Richard Nixon would remain president for another 14 months, I think.

We’ve had 9 additional presidents since.

I remember that gas was around 30 something cents a gallon around here.

The first OPEC oil embargo would begin 4 months later, and that would change everything.

June 1973. When Oak Ridge Bicycle Center opened for business.

I wasn’t there.

Truth be told, I didn’t officially wander in until November 1st, 1976. I’d been in the shop a few times before, visiting friends who worked there, and doing some welding for one of the original owners, Charles Harrison, but the keys weren’t handed to me until Halloween 1976. Make of that date what you will. Possibly I wore my clown costume that very first day. I’m positive I’ve worn it many days since then.

50 years. Dang.

Everything has changed in those 50 years. Well, except the crowded, cluttered, dusty and dingy atmosphere, the location that’s always been too small, the pegboard ambiance that was out of date even in the 70s, and the cash register of unknown vintage (it’s much older than I am ).

Brand names change.

Customers change. Some are no longer with us, some we’ve watched walk through that door for 40 something + years.

Co-workers change. Some were here and gone in a split second, some have stayed for many years, and some are my best friends today. Those include Eric and Shane, both gone now, but always an important part of our history and our stories.

The rules change, some of them anyway.

The challenges change.

Competition changes.

Yet, we see familiar faces come through the door that we’ve known almost since the beginning. I treasure so many of our irregular regulars. More than they could possibly imagine. I owe so much to these people. And to all who have helped me along the way. Without you all, this place wouldn’t be here.

I hope I’ve made more friends than enemies over the years. Maybe not enough friends, and maybe too many enemies. I hope not, but I can think of a few.

To those who stop by just to visit, and sometimes retell an old bike shop story, thank you. You may not realize how important your comments and stories are to me. At this point in my bike shop career, some of those trips down Memory Lane that include me are the best incentive I know to keep me unlocking that front door, and turning the lights on at 28 North Jefferson Circle, day after day.

It’s been a helluva ride.

I get asked fairly often about my retirement “plans”. When one is self-employed, that’s sometimes a bit complicated.

If I find the right person or persons to pass the ORBC torch to, I’ll be sure to let you know.

I said ORBC is passing through a milestone. We’re not stopping. Here’s to another 50 years.

Thank you for everything.

Bill Winters

June 2023