The Shed, located in the heart of downtown Port McNeill, isn’t your average bike shop.
It not only offers full service bike repairs, but has a large selection of bikes to suit all kinds of riders (Mountain bikes, road bikes, BMX, Cruisers, children’s bikes, and a range of previously pedalled bikes), and they also carry bike parts, helmets, accessories, and clothes.
“About nine years ago, my brother started a small bike repair shop. He then went back to his real job as an electrician and I took it over,” said Owner/Operator Eva Koel as she reminisced on the history of the business.
Koel added that she moved to Port McNeill from Parksville 16 years ago, and took over the business from her brother because “I wanted to keep the bike shop in town. I had two toddlers at that point and it allowed me to bring them to work.”
Koel has a long history of riding bikes. “I used to race mountain bikes for years,” she said, adding that she “raced all over B.C.” during her competitive years.
To this day she still rides as much as she can, but joked that she mostly concentrates on trying her best not to fall off now.
The Shed’s full service bike repairs are done courtesy of their master mechanic, Rob Russell. “He does everything from changing the tires to bleeding the brakes, and we have most of the parts in stock. If I don’t actually have it in store I can usually get it the next day,” said Koel.
While The Shed is all about bikes, they also carry a wide range of outdoor gear to help you get out there on the slopes and spend time in a tent.
“We carry lots of skiing and snowboarding gear,” said Koel. “My kids and I all love to ski and snowboard, too. We have Mt. Cain right nearby, and that’s our hill.”
She stated that her favourite thing about owning the business is “being my own boss,”
and that she finds the North Island community is “great to be a part of - and I don’t mean just Port McNeill, it’s great all over.”
On the subject of shopping local, Koel pointed out that “The majority of people that buy bikes buy them here. We’re very competitive with down island. We give great service, especially to our really dedicated customers. They get priority.”
If you haven’t visited the Shed yet, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how it looks from the inside.