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History of Tribeca Buildings
Gotham Bikes Is Closing
Two years ago, Gotham Bikes was forced to move from 112 W. Broadway—after 32 years in Tribeca—because the rent was being tripled. Now, two years into its lease at 101 Reade, the shop is closing because the new rent (for a larger store) is still unsustainable. The word is that it’ll close at the end of this month, but they’re looking for another space in Tribeca, so there’s hope it could reopen within a few months.
It bears repeating: If you like having businesses in your neighborhood, you have to support them.
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Sorry to see them have to go through this again. Hope they can find another place soon.
This is very sad to hear. A genuine, local business with really great customer service. I bought a bike and the addition of a baby seat on that bike years later. The servicing of my bike has been free for almost eight years. It is sad to lose this convenience and another small business. I wish there was a. way to help keep places like this in the area.
I had terrible customer service there. I ordered a bike and paid for it. It never came. When I inquired it turned it was never ordered after all and the person who helped me no longer worked there. I ended up going somewhere else.
Dannys Bikes on Varick (north of Canal) is a much more competent and friendly shop.
Gotham once filled a warranty on a broken bike part. In the process of filling the warranty they lost a piece of the bike. In spite of irrefutable evidence, they would not recognize that they lost the piece and called me a “scammer” for trying to get them to replace the lost part. Total amateur-hour over there.
Gotham was the only local place you could still rent bikes by the hour. Some of us work long hours and can’t use Citi bikes. I hope they find a new home near by. To
Isn’t Citi bikes a 24/7 operation? Annnd Jean, if you’re working the loooong hours, then wouldn’t you also be bringing in some serious overtime cash money? Work the problem, Jean. Stop playing the entitled victim…again.
Always found Gotham people to be helpful and nice! Had my bikes repaired and tuned up there for years. Again, why building owners prefer to have vacant space or constant turnover is a mystery. Neighborhoods are made by small business owners not by large chain stores…totally agree with Eric ..have to support them to keep them…
Its a shame, however the service has been on a steep decline since leaving the old location. Lost of turnover, very little care. Tribecans will support local stores as long as local stores take care of local regulars.
The service was horrible there. Maybe it was better if you bought your bike from them, but their mechanics are not among the better ones in the city (for high end bikes at least), they make mistakes and overcharge. It was a revolving door of incompetent employees. I only go there in an emergency and it’s a shame, because I’m an avid cyclist and it would be great to have a solid bike shop down here.
Losing any local business hurts. This one stings. My family of four has eight bikes and we could count on Gotham for reliable service 99% of the time. One of our bikes was bought there and took some beatings (our fault). They gave us better deals on repairs than we deserved.
Three years ago my son Alex, then 15, and I took a two-week bike trip that criss-crossed New England. Watching the odometer on Alex’s bike tick off the miles was key to our morale. Halfway through the trip, on a Sunday afternoon, the sensor rotated and it stopped giving readings. I had no clue, so I called the shop. Ben walked us through the necessary adjustment. The next day, a hilly 85 miles, was the apex of the trip. We couldn’t have done it without Ben’s fix.
I’ll miss those guys. Meanwhile, Gotham’s prior W Bway space is still vacant. Who are these heedless landlords who are sucking the life out of our community?
Just FYI, the former Gotham Bikes space on W. Broadway is no longer vacant. It’s the Skin Laundry facial spa: https://tribecacitizen.wpengine.com/2016/10/26/new-kid-on-the-block-skin-laundry/. But yes, many landlords believe their retail space to worth more than it is.