Bicycle shop to open in Fox Grape Plaza

Photo courtesy Adventure Bicycle Co.

Infill work is underway at Fox Grape Plaza.

Springfield’s newest bicycle shop soon will be just a short ride away from Greenway Trails.

Adventure Bicycle Co., founded this year by Jason Johannpeter, Jason Allen and Colin Brixey, is expected to open June 8 in the Fox Grape Plaza shopping center at 3250 E. Battlefield Road. The shop will offer bicycles, parts, wheels, accessories and bicycle repair services.

The three owners have worked in various bike shops for the past 10 years, Johannpeter said. They started talking about opening their own store in late March. They’re investing around $30,000 in startup costs.

“There was an opportunity that came up, and with it being already springtime, we felt we had to move quickly to take advantage of it,” Johannpeter said. “This is bike selling season.”

Johannpeter said the shop will be the exclusive dealer in southwest Missouri for California-based Specialized Bicycle Components Inc. and will offer bike racks from Springfield-based Kuat Racks.

The trio had a clear vision of the business they wanted to create, he said. The idea included offering “a community-driven” space for people to hang out with other biking enthusiasts without the pressure of buying.

Johannpeter said the Fox Grape Plaza space was attractive because of its close proximity to trails and farm roads for cyclists to use.

"That makes our shop very ‘rideable,’" he said. "It's a great place for new cyclists to come and gather and try out their new bike."

The company’s Facebook page went live about a week ago.

“We’re starting to get some really good interactions with people, and they’re sharing their excitement about what we’re doing,” Johannpeter said.

The bicycle shop takes the place of Horrmann Meat Co. LLC, which closed its Fox Grape store in October 2018, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. The Fair Grove-based company still operates in Springfield at 1537 W. Battlefield Road.

Adventure Bicycle’s lease terms were not disclosed.