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Bike store still in owner’s plans
Chris Mailing, Owner of Ten 27 Cycles, helps Daniel Stranahan of Chicago try on bike shoes Nov. 8 at the shop in Evanston. | michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 16, 2012 6:15AM
EVANSTON — Matt Miller eyed a sleek BMC racing bike at Ten 27 Cycles.
The superlight carbon frame bike usually sells for $3,600, but with the store’s closing sale discount, the Evanston resident looked at a price of $2,800.
It’s feather light, he noted. “Pick it up,” he said to a curious observer before a test ride.
Nancy Berte of Evanston thumbed through the shop’s clothing.
“It’ll be sad to see it go,’’ she said. “I feel like it’s my home store.”
Berte bought her first road bike at the shop.
“The thing I like about this place is it’s very personable,” she said.
Response has been strong, said Ten 27 Cycles owner Chris Mailing, since he announced last week the longtime store would be closing at 1027 Davis St. where it has been located some 40 years.
The email announcing the closing and clearance sale went out at 3 p.m., Mailing said, and “the store was full” by 4 p.m.
“It’s just amazing,” he said.
Mailing later sent out appended information that may console worried city officials. As the owner of the space, Mailing is in negotiations to lease the site to another bike shop owner.
The plan calls for the new shop owner to occupy the space starting in January, selling much of the same merchandise as Ten 27 Cycles, Mailing said.
Under the arrangement, Mailing would stay on as the new store’s manager, helping getting it running.
It’s too early to divulge the name of the new store, he indicated. A name change was a major factor, Mailing said, in deciding to close Ten 27 Cycles, formerly known as Turin Cycles.
The name change had a substantial cost in attorney fees, time and effort, Mailing said. A provision to allow Ten 27 Cycles to refer to the store as ‘’formerly Turin Bicycles’’ ran into difficulty.
Finally it came down to, “rather than incurring the expenses. It was just better to get out,’’ Mailing said.
The announcement came as Evanston received recognition as a bike friendly city. Mailing was the promoter of the Grand Prix cycling race, which brought some of the country’s top racers to downtown streets.
On top of that, “I think the bike lane is terrific,’’ he said about the first protected bike lane on the North Shore. “It comes to Davis Street next summer. I’m glad I’m going to be around to see it.’’
All merchandise is currently discounted 15 to 40 percent, with additional deep markdowns to be taken on any remaining items over the next few weeks, Mailing said. The store is also selling its rental bikes and used children’s bikes and trainers at favorable prices.
Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. More information is available at www.ten27cycles.com.
