Boreal Bicycle Works
By toyota200x on Mar 2, 2012 in History, Outdoors
Last week I was tooling around town on my bicycle when I stumbled upon this business. I have never heard any of my cycling friends mention this shop. It opened in 2001, but when did it close? Heck, it might even still be open. There are some Christmas lights on in the window.
Do people have stories/history about this business?
Boreal is owned by Bryn, a bike-fixing genius who works full-time at Continental Ski & Bike on First Street in Duluth. He worked at Boreal full time until Continental hired him on a few years back. I’m not sure if he still does business out of there any more or not.
BRYNNNNNN! This was the location of the Whole Foods Co-Op before it was in the space where Burrito Union is now. Bryn fix bikes good.
Bryn Jacobson, Duluth icon.
@fonixmunkee -- Yes, the Brynster does indeed do a few repairs right there in the shop. He will address your kids flat tire or your sweet new Ti Fixie build.
Where is this building -- I’ve never seen it.
Boreal Bicycle Works
631 E. Eighth St.
Duluth MN 55805
218-722-9291
Wow! Flashback!!
Not only do I remember shopping at the Co-Op with my mom back in the day, but I also remember walking past a then-empty building to Boy Scout meetings at Grant.
It’s good to know that it’s being used. Every time one of these old-skul corner shops close, it’s really, truly too bad.
To the best of my knowledge, he still lives there.
Yup, I remember going shopping there with my mom when I was really little. She would buy weird things like blue chips and stuff in bulk. Was it the first co-op location in Duluth?
Love the old “Green Man” flyer. Good times
Bryn is also one of the founding members of the Northern Ale Stars, the local homebrewer guild…and he *does* live in the building.
Heh, I brought my bike there probably 10+ yrs ago for a few ‘tweaks.’ He done good, fer cheep! I’ve walked past that shop the past 2-3 years on my way to/from work downtown and thought it was abandoned.
Some of my favorite Duluth memories are sitting around Bryn’s fire jamming to Yes and bird call identification recordings. His artichoke dip is yummy.
Being of Co-op blood, I appreciate seeing where it came from and let it influence the idea of what it is and should be.