Business & Tech

Beers and Bicycles?

New bike shop on Myrtle Avenue hopes to take customer service to a whole new level.

Want a brewsky with that new bicycle tire? 

Well, Brooklyn bikers may still have to wait awhile. But according to recently-opened Red Lantern Bicycles owner Brian Gluck, it won't be too much longer before bike enthusiasts get the opportunity to get a bit of a two wheeled-sized buzz on. 

With the official opening of his bike shop on Fort Greene's Myrtle Avenue Saturday—along with the expected opening of a cafe next week—this former partner at  in Prospect Heights hopes to make his new venture stand out in an increasing crowded market. 

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"It's going to be a communal space up front where you can come, sit down and maybe while you're waiting for your bike to get fixed, you can have a cup of coffee," Gluck said. 

As for the planned beer and wine, that will have to wait for approval of Gluck's liquor license, which he claims is in the works. Until then, bikers will have to settle for premium coffee served by the bike shop's own barista.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"As seriously as we take our bikes, we're going to take our coffee seriously," he said. "Proper espresso, a proper americano, all that."

Aside from the novelty of having coffee while watching Red Lantern's five employees diligently at work at the shop's bike stand, Gluck made it clear that it was still mostly about the bikes.

Borrowing a page from Recycle-a-Bicycle's increasingly popular business model, Red Lantern offers riders the chance to own a custom-made bicycle, with one important difference—these two-wheelers will be made almost entirely from scratch.

The cost of the bikes will average from $250 to $450, according to Gluck. 

And that's a cost that many Brooklyn residents, weary of a looming MTA fare increase and higher gas price, seem ready, willing and able to spend—even during an economic recovery .

"People are going to need to need to buy and maintain their bikes," Gluck said. "It's not something you can get on the Internet."

Red Lantern Bicycles is located on 345 Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene. For more info, visit redlanternbicycles.com or call 347-889-5338. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Fort Greene-Clinton Hill