Open Is Really Really Open (Grand Opening For Open)

So even though Open is officially open, it is having it’s grand opening next Saturday, the 11th. Shop is open from 10a-7p, Chorus gallery reception @ 7p,macaframa premeire @ 9p and then bicycle related events to follow. Entrance is located at the corner of Washington Street & Hawkins Street in Union Square, at approximately 285 Washington Street. (map link)

OPEN launches it’s unique Union Square bicycle shop, art gallery, and design studio. Zachary Teachout and Joshua Kampa, the creatives behind OPEN, quietly unlocked the doors to their new bicycle retail and repair boutique this week. Located in the center of hip and upcoming Union Square in Somerville MA, OPEN encompasses a innovative approach to the bicycle-centric lifestyle, offering new and vintage bicycles, frames, components, and accouterments for a diverse crowd of urban riders. Folded into the newly-renovated warehouse space (formerly
home to Merlin Titanium) is a unique retail store, a full service repair and restoration workshop, a stand-alone art gallery, and a interdisciplinary design studio.

OPEN approaches the Boston metropolitan cycling scene with a fresh and passionate perspective. Both Teachout and Kampa are enthusiastic and committed cyclists and come from creative entrepreneurial backgrounds both inside and outside the industry. They have applied a forward-thinking design philosophy to the shop concept and creation, wiping away the typical “bike shop” structure in favor of a more culturally responsive experience.

Adding to the very unique retail experience, the space will house both the Superbe Design Collaborative and the revolving art gallery, Chorus. The interdisciplinary design studio, comprised of a tight-knit group of young talent, brings to the table an extraordinary range of design experience, from realized large-scale architecture to highly successful brand development projects, as well as published graphic, print and photography work. Chorus, referring to the perception of a number of individual sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound, will operate as a stage for local, national and international artists, designers and makers to display and distribute both their work and vision.

ps. the shop is real purty too.

click below for more great pictures.
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Bikes Not Bombs Vocational Program

Got this in the email today, loving it because they refer to me as a community leader! Yea! Also I love Bikes Not Bombs, so anything they do is pretty amazing just because they are doing it. But this seems like they are really going above and beyond. You should all check this out.

Dear Community Leader,

This winter, Bikes Not Bombs will be offering its annual Vocational Education course for adults and youth age 15 and older at our Hub in Jamaica Plain. This is a unique job training opportunity for both youth and adults who are motivated to learn bicycle repair and mechanics and seek employment in a mechanical field. During the class, skilled trainers will take students through all of the systems of a bicycle and provide detailed explanations coupled with hands-on learning. Students who thrive in an experiential learning environment will benefit from the interactive structure of the Vocational Education program as they build, troubleshoot, and test ride bicycles that will actually go on to be sold in our retail shop.

After the course, Bikes Not Bombs will assist program graduates with job placement in local area bike shops, including our own shop located at 18 Bartlett Square. Since we first began offering this course over ten years ago, we have placed dozens of graduates in shops around the city, some of whom have even gone on to start their own community bike shops.

The course will begin January 19th and will run through March 21st. Class days are Monday and Wednesday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. and Saturday, 2:00-5:00 p.m. Candidates do not need an extensive background in bicycle repair to be eligible. Fees for the class are minimal and vary based on individual need. Fee waivers are available.

Those interested should come by either of our locations—284 Amory St in the Brewery Complex or 18 Bartlett Square near the intersection of Amory and Green St.—to fill out an application. Applications are also available online at www.bikesnotbombs.org/youth. Questions can be directed to Matt Picard, Youth Programming Director at 617-522-0222 ext. 104 or [email protected].

I hope that you will share this opportunity with anyone who you think might benefit from hands on mechanics training in a professional yet supportive setting. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or for further information.

Sincerely,

Matt Picard Youth Programming Director

Matt Picard
Youth Programming Director
Bikes Not Bombs ~ 284 Amory Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-522-0222 x 104
617-522-0922 (fax)

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The City Of Boston Has Been Busy Making Maps

Found these little gems on Google Maps, seems the city might be up to something….

I will keep on top of this.

Bike Shops

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Green – Key Shops Purple – First Tier Shops Blue – Second Tier Shops Aqua – Visited Red – No longer at this address

No idea what the tier system means, but this is a pretty good map of local shops. Might add it to the bike map page.

Lanes

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I am pretty sure that green lines mean proposed lanes, and blue are existing. If every street that is green ends up getting a lane that would be fantastic, but still just the start of a vibrant bicycle infrastructure project. I hope those greens turn blue soon!

Racks

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Blue = Requested
Green = In Process
Orange = Installed
Purple = Dead
Yellow = Hold

Pretty sure this has to do with the recent push from the city to install a whole bunch of new racks. My sources tell me that they will be installing over 250.

Speaking of maps, be sure to check out the ever growing BostonBiker.org bike map, be sure to add your own favorite locations!

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