October 31, 2023
Evanston’s oldest bike shop, The Pony Shop, sits nestled between storefronts on the bustling Chicago Ave. The Pony Shop caters to bike enthusiasts of all levels, from afternoon riders to street racers and everything in between. The retailer sells bikes, bike parts, accessories and offers repairs. Locally owned, they first opened their doors in 1969 and have been an integral part of the community since.
“There’s always an assumption when people walk (into the shop) that (we) only sell racing bikes,” Lou Kuhn, owner of the shop, said. “But, truthfully, we do everything here for all different levels of people in the community. That’s the best part.”
The shop is about a 15-minute walk from The Arch and welcomes any Northwestern student looking for a new bike or in need of a quick tune-up. NU students receive a 10% discount on bicycles, bike parts and accessories from the shop.
The shop does free estimates on any bike brought into the shop, so students don’t have to make a commitment to any specific service right away, according to Kuhn. Sometimes small repairs can be done on the same day and larger services typically take one to two days.
“In a smaller bike shop, everyone has their hands on every part of it,” Kuhn said. “Everyone here works on bikes, sells bikes, orders parts, things like that. There is a tighter atmosphere.”
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