Trek Bicycle is buying all six Northern Virginia-based Spokes Etc. bicycle shops, Spokes Etc. owner Jim Strang confirms to ARLnow.
That includes the Spokes Etc. location in Ballston at 3924 Wilson Blvd.
Trek, which manufactures bikes and operates its own retail stores, already has a shop in Clarendon on Wilson Blvd, a mere nine-minute bike ride from the Spokes location in Ballston. The two stores were one and two, respectively, in this year’s Arlies for favorite bike shop in Arlington.
Spokes Etc. made the move into Ballston in 2018, replacing Freshbikes.
The locally owned and operated bike company was founded in 1985 and prides itself on not being “a company that gives ‘cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all’ service,” according to its website.
Beyond selling bikes, Spokes Etc. also fixes, services and provides free monthly roadside maintenance clinics.
There are five other Spokes Etc. locations, in Fairfax, Leesburg, Vienna, and two in Alexandria: Belle Haven and N. Quaker Lane, near Fairlington.
ARLnow has reached out to Trek about what the sale could mean for the local shops, but have yet to hear back as of publication. Strang declined to comment on whether all current Spokes Etc. locations will remain open after the sale.
Trek has been on a bike store buying spree as of late, with deals to buy independent bike retailers in Maryland, New York and several Western states announced in the past two weeks.
Jay Westcott contributed to this report