The Story: Blackstone Bicycle Works is unlike any bike shop you’ve seen.  For one thing, most of the bikes they sell are refurbished used bikes – saved from landfills and condo basements.  But the real difference is that the shop welcomes neighborhood kids to come in and learn bike mechanics.  They start small, fixing flats and adjusting seats.  But as they work on used bikes under the close supervision of trained mechanics, they have a chance to become quite expert.

They don’t pay for this training.  In fact the shop pays them – in bikes.  After a certain number of hours helping in the shop, they can choose an old bike and get it in working order themselves – again under the tutelage of  the adult mechanics.

I love this place.

More Info: Blackstone Bicycle Works website

In March 2011, Blackstone Bicycle Works was chosen by Seattle’s Best Coffee as their first non-profit to feature in a 5-minute documentary film as part of Seattle’s Best Brew-lanthropy Film. See a clip here.