Our company handles over 2,500 used bicycles annually. While not every bike is road-ready, we proudly get 500 new cyclists onto Minneapolis streets each year. We also ship a thousand bikes to Africa, contributing significantly to reducing carbon dioxide pollution by hundreds of thousands of pounds yearly.
With fifteen years and countless bicycles under our belt, we possess extensive experience in diverse cycling technologies. We are passionate about assisting our community members in discovering the ideal bike for their needs.
The journey began with a self-proclaimed “eBay junkie,” Seth Stattmiller. While already a cyclist out of necessity as a non-car owner, his deep dive into the bike world started in 2005 with an impulsive yard sale bicycle purchase. Fresh from business school, Seth immersed himself in buying and selling every used bike he could find, connecting with those who knew the intricacies of bicycle repair.
“CraigsList was just gaining traction then, revealing an almost unbelievable demand for used bicycles in Minneapolis.” Despite this demand, matching riders with the perfect used bike wasn’t always simple. To bridge this gap, Seth established a physical store, Re-Cycle, aiming to facilitate these connections more effectively.
As Re-Cycle expanded, it became evident that a vast number of bicycles were ending up in landfills due to the challenges of individual bike sales. Seth’s reputation for rescuing bikes from waste grew quickly, and soon his living space was overflowing. “It’s true, there were bikes even in the bathroom.”
Recovery Bike Shop emerged unexpectedly. Brent Fuqua, then managing a thriving photography business, performing music, and juggling multiple jobs, found himself battling addiction, watching his life unravel. In 2008, Brent sought help. While at Progress Valley Men’s Center near Lake and Lyndale in Minneapolis, he went to the garage to work on his own bicycle, seeking clarity on his life’s direction. After accepting the loss of everything he had worked for and the need for a fresh start, a pivotal moment occurred: “I’m just going to focus right now on taking care of this one bike and do that well. When I accomplish that, I will branch out from there.”
After repairing his own bike, Brent turned his attention to the other bikes at Progress Valley in need of repair. Some belonged to residents, others were left behind. Brent found immense satisfaction in helping others and seeing people ride bikes he had fixed. Soon, bike donations started arriving, quickly exceeding storage capacity at Progress Valley. Brent began selling these bicycles on CraigsList.
In the summer of 2009, Recovery relocated to a garage in Uptown, and further positive developments unfolded. People Brent had assisted began recommending him to friends. Repairing and selling bikes evolved into a full-time occupation. In the spring of 2010, Brent left his minimum wage job. Fellow individuals in recovery joined Brent, assisting in the garage and earning bikes in return.
As the business flourished as a solo operation, Northeast resident Mike Smeija suggested Recovery move to a retail location near Central and Lowry. On January 1, 2011, Recovery Bike Shop opened in a space within the Eastside Food Co-op building. Remarkably, without any capital, Recovery had a storefront. Then another fortunate event happened.
Brent and Seth had become acquainted during Recovery Bike Shop’s initial phase. They remained in contact and shared experiences. Re-Cycle, conveniently located just blocks from the garage, became Recovery’s primary parts supplier. Within a week, Re-Cycle provided the additional resources Recovery needed for its spring launch. Seth and Brent’s complementary skill sets proved to be a winning combination.
In the summer of 2013, the Northeast Investment Co-op aided Recovery Bike Shop in purchasing a 15,000 square foot building near Central and Lowry.
In the fall of 2014, Re-Cycle closed, allowing full focus on Recovery Bike Shop.
We have come a considerable distance since then, but our core mission remains unchanged: “Delivering real transportation to real people.”
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CLOSED: July 4 New Year’s Day Thanksgiving Christmas Eve Christmas Day
2504 Central Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55418 Instagram
