LOGAN SQUARE — Boulevard Bikes has found a new home in the neighborhood.
The independently-owned bike shop is moving from its storefront of 14 years at 2535 N. Kedzie Blvd. to a newly-rehabbed storefront at 2769 N. Milwaukee Ave. this fall.
Owner Kevin Womac said he's aiming for an Oct. 1 soft opening and a public opening around Halloween. The shop won't be closed at any point. Until the move, select bikes and gear will be on sale, including "the dusty stuff that's been here too long," according to a Facebook post.
Last week, Womac and his team put up a "Boulevard Bikes" sign at the new storefront, which is on an up-and-coming stretch of Milwaukee Avenue that's home to several new businesses including Hopewell Brewing Co., Unanimous Boxing Gym, Ryuu Asian BBQ & Sushi and All Star Press.
RELATED: Boulevard Bikes Leaving Longtime Home To Make Way For Auditorium Elevator
"It doesn't have 12-foot long sidewalks with patio seating, but there's still plenty of hustle and bustle over there," Womac said of the new location, which is larger and more modern than the original one.
While Womac said he's looking forward to slinging bikes on the "Hipster Highway," as Milwaukee Avenue is sometimes called, he said he will miss working in a historic building on Kedzie Boulevard across from the Logan Square Monument.
The move became real for Womac a couple of weeks ago when he was hanging out with friends near the monument, he said.
"I got to see how many people are using the square from the outside. Usually, when I'm around here, I'm inside the shop," Womac said.
"Seeing how many people were out in the immediate vicinity makes me a little disappointed that I have to move."
The bike shop called 2535 N. Kedzie Blvd. home for 14 years. [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]
Womac's lease is up in September, but that wasn't the reason for the move.
Womac's landlord, Saul Osacky, who has owned the building since 1987, told DNAinfo Chicago in April he was planning to convert Boulevard Bikes into an elevator and possibly a lobby for neighboring venue Logan Square Auditorium.
At the time, Osacky emphasized that he was "not trying to get rid of" Womac, whom he called an "excellent tenant."
"The elevator is still in the planning stage," Osacky previously said. "It's very important to be [Americans With Disabilities Act] compliant in this day and age."
It's unclear if the plans are moving forward. Osacky couldn't be immediately reached for comment Monday.
