Venture North Bike Walk Coffee opening soon in North Minneapolis

A new bike store on the north side of Minneapolis will open October 25 at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Morgan Avenue North. Venture North Bike Walk Coffee held a kick-off celebration Saturday, October 10, but will not be open for business until October 25 because is still in the process of getting needed licenses.

Jacob Flinsch-Garrison, who will manage the store, said that Venture North is “all about living well together, giving kids jobs opportunities, and creating a new center for wellness in North Minneapolis.” The store will sell affordable bikes and accessories and provide bicycle repair and maintenance services. It will also have programs to promote walking and have a coffee shop. The coffee shop side of the store is a partnership with Minneapolis-based Dogwood Coffee Company, and will feature a coffee and espresso bar and baked goods. The coffee shop will open November 15.

Flinsch-Garrison said that the bike shop will try to be somewhat different from other bike shops.  He said their motto is “gratitude not attitude.” He said that some bike shops can be intimidating to new bikers, but Venture North will seek to make them feel “welcome and not put down.” The shop will try to reach lower income people with affordable bikes and job skills, he said.

Partially funded by a grant from the City of Minneapolis through its Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant, the store will be run by Redeemer Center for Life, a non-profit community development organization. 

Flinsch-Garrison said that he has a background in marketing and retail management, and he is excited to do that kind of work that in a non-profit setting. He said that the potential for helping people especially brought him to the Venture North project.