on October 4, 2016 / by Downtown Dallas Inc. / in Blog Posts, Doing Business

In Summer 2016, Downtown Dallas, Inc. sponsored a contest for locals to create Dallas experiences Live Like a Local, with the winning #mydtdcontest experiences by locals launching this fall on the Guidrr app. As part of this effort, local Dallas downtown small businesses also gave away fun prizes and perks to winners. One such business was Local Hub, with their very own #mydtd story.

Every so often, we meet a new local business team that inspires us to think differently about the city. Local Hub Bicycle is run by Kristie Holt and Justin Shannon, who opened the Deep Ellum small business in 2015 (located at 2633 Main Street, Dallas) after being tapped by their cycling friends to do something to help the growth of cycling in the city.

“The Downtown/Deep Ellum community really needed cycling advocates. I think people gravitate towards us and our business because we don’t just care about selling bikes, we also really care about our local community,” says Justin.

Justin and Kristie are passionate about a bike-able Dallas and are doing something about it. They speak at length about the importance of making biking a bigger thing in the downtown area by focusing on educating riders, setting a safe biking example, and attracting more cyclists to the road. “All this does amazing things for a city. That’s why we also host events at our store to bring people together and advocate for rider-friendly changes,” they say.

The two also are motivated to help others experience Dallas in a new way. With Local Hub’s bike rental program, they can offer downtown residents and visiting tourists alike an opportunity to experience Dallas like they’ve never seen it before. “Try it out for yourself. Rent a bike,” says Debra Swersky, one of the winners of the Live Like a Local contest and a local walking, biking and DART advocate.

“Local Hub Bicycle is more than just a bike shop, it’s an anchor point in the Downtown / Deep Ellum community.” – Debra Swersky

“Yes, you can purchase a bike from Local Hub (of which they have a great selection), get your bike serviced, and snag a recommendation for a route. But, Local Hub Bicycle is more than just a bike shop, it’s an anchor point in the Downtown / Deep Ellum community. When you think of “Dallas” (or really, “Texas”) you don’t think “biking.” But there is a community, there are people who ride to work, school, or on the numerous trails in town and that community needs to be nurtured,” she says. “Let’s be honest: the only way to reduce the number of hours you sit in traffic is by getting out of your car. Try biking.”

Little did we know until we dug into this, but the average person spends 42 hours in traffic while commuting per year (2015 study). The average person commuting in Dallas spends 59 hours (2013 study).

Thanks to Local Hub, intentionally a “hub” for local cycling enthusiasts, we’re happy about our locals and visitors swapping traffic for local exploration, one bike at a time!

To join Local Hub’s #ridelocal movement, connect with Kristie and Justin on their Instagram @localhubbc or attend one of their Deep Ellum community events.

Want to hop over to Local Hub and buy or rent a bike? They are closed Mondays, but open 10 am-7 pm Tuesday-Saturday and 12 pm-6 pm Sunday. Their website is: www.localhubbc.com

Want to learn about the winners of the #mydtdcontest? Read about Karen Lao, the first announced winner here.

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