Nestled in the heart of the paradise known as Virginia Beach, on the corner of Norfolk Ave. and Cypress Ave, is a slice of heaven for bicycle riders known as Boardwalk Bikes.
The Club House at Boardwalk Bikes!
Owned and operated by Dave Morrow, a former BMX racer and current concrete business owner, the bike shop is a haven for the local BMX scene. Not since the days of Bike Zone bike shop (rip) have riders in the VB area had so much of a selection of BMX parts readily available to them. Now in it’s second year of operation, Boardwalk Bikes continues to grow and as a result, nurture the scene. Thanks to a solid crew of workers, including Eric ‘˜Balls’ Lee, Darryl Williams, Christian Hewett, Lloyd Welch, and led by Sean Meeker, the youngsters in the area are learning the value of having a local shop vs. purchasing their goods through mail order. Some of the brands that Boardwalk Bikes carries include FBM, S&M, Cult, Fit, Profile Racing, Sunday, Odyssey, Kink, and many more. The shop serves as a meeting point for the local riders, and on any given day, they can come in, check out the latest parts in the showcase, borrow a tool to fix their rides, and even get a quick lesson from Sean in bike maintenance. The kids even lend a hand or two whenever things get hectic in the store. The local BMX riders aren’t the only ones to benefit from Boardwalk Bikes either. Being in such close proximity to the beach, the shop’s main traffic would be the locals on beach cruisers. The local populace has embraced the shop’s carefree attitude and folks stop by on the regular to get their tires pumped up or to get their often neglected bikes a tune up. A recent expansion into the ex karate studio next door has provided much needed room for inventory, as well as an upstairs ‘chill room’. Stocked with couches, videos, and magazines, the Thomas Holman Media Center (named for the man who donated the entertainment) has become the go-to room to escape the sometimes madness of the shop.
Beach Cruisers, Bar Crawlers...
Darryl, Barspin hop
Sean Meeker, Double peg to tire grab!
Classic...
Vintage!
BMX!
Storefront...
With an upcoming Mike Tag benefit jam scheduled for August 28th, the boys at Boardwalk Bikes have their sights set on giving back even more to the community. Video nights, weekly rides and more are scheduled as well. So if you find yourself in the Virginia Beach area, come on down to the shop and check us out. Oh, and bring some cold beer too, it gets hot down here.
Article assembled by-Christian Hewett, Photos – Howard Tarpey, Words Craig Welch
