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Bike Mag
Shop Local: Polka Dot Jersey
By Deven McCoy,
4 hours ago
Print magazines and brick-and-mortar bike shops go together like single speeds and denim, groms and scabby shins, tire inserts, and profanity. So it should come as no surprise that, even though we don’t have a print magazine (right now), we’re working on a new series highlighting independent bike shops. We think they’re great, we want them to succeed in this constantly changing marketplace, and we want to do what we can to help them with the bully pulpit our title affords us.
If you love a shop, feel free to let us know. We’d love to cover what they’re up to.
Can you give us a quick history of Polka Dot Jersey?
PDJ was founded in 2012 by Matt Telmosse, however the shop has always been a community effort. There is absolutely no way to do this alone. It's no small task to get a bike shop off the ground and even harder to keep it going, especially in the first five years. In 2017 when we hit that five year mark and really started to feel our stride, we were unable to renew our lease. This was a huge blow to the shop and almost ended us. Luckily, one of our long-time customers and now an integral partner to PDJ, Hank Vigil, stepped up and basically gave us an oxygen tank for about 6months through the winter of 2017/18 to find a space, build it out, and be ready for the Spring of 2018. Hank is still a huge part of PDJ and we wouldn't be here without him. The rest is history. We are currently located right across the street from the first location. Our neighborhood community, our customers, our shop friends, Seattle's community of amazing bike shops, and our staff are the backbone of PDJ and we are unbelievably thankful to all of these amazing folks for the continued unwavering support.
The community in question
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What makes Polka Dot Jersey really stand out? What’s unique about Polka Dot Jersey?
We definitely think bikes should always be fun. We honestly are stoked that you're riding, literally anything. The best bike in the world is the one you're riding. The atmosphere of PDJ is always joking around and laughing, especially at ourselves! #gethighstaylight
Building community, doing rides that are inclusive and approachable to anyone, and highlighting our amazing community of bike shops in Seattle are all a huge part of our narrative.
We can literally fix anything, and if we can't, we'll find the right person that can!
They can fix it
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What makes your local riding scene special?
Our local riding scene is incredible! From world-class mountain biking fostered by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance to an array of gravel rides, @bikehappyhour, and Thursday night Seward Park Crit racing, there is literally something for everyone almost every week!
Stay light
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If you could change one thing in mountain biking right now, what would it be?
Oof, that's a tough one. Mountain Biking could use a lot more inclusion. It's not as accessible to everyone as it should be. It's an intimidating sport by itself and we think creating a safe, approachable space to ask questions, get ride info, and to get out on the trails with our customers is really important for the future of the sport.
What do you wish you could tell all your customers (could be something as simple as “wash your bike before you bring it in” or as deep and heartfelt as you want)
We genuinely appreciate your support and the fact that you're ultimately the most important part of the shop. So, thank you from the bottom of our cold little hearts haha.
What’s your mechanics’ beverage of choice?
IPA/La Croix
Any questions we didn’t ask that you’d love to talk about?
These are all excellent questions, we think you nailed it.
Any advice to folks who want to work in a bike shop?
Be patient when learning. It takes a lot of time to be an efficient mechanic. And always be ready to learn, it's a never ending journey. Also, don't forget to laugh at yourself, every good mechanic learned because they messed it up at some point!
PDJ service wizard
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Where do you want to see your shop go in the future? Expansions? More community involvement? What are you looking forward to?
We want to see more community events, rides, and fun. We love collaborating with other shops and local frame builders and really highlighting the other talented businesses and humans in Seattle. Community is currency, and we want to see everyone succeed together.
If you're in the Seattle area, stop by The Polka Dot Jersey, say hi, and see what they're all about, and maybe grab a bite to eat next door at Meet the Moon. The Polka Dot Jersey is located at 120 Lakeside AveSeattle, WA 98122
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