Jodie Wagner @JRWagner5 May 7, 2020 at 2:03 PM Coronavirus updates: Bike Boutique by Villain, which sells mountain and cruiser bikes as well as exclusive European and American accessories, wants to help the rapidly growing local biking community amid the pandemic. * TO OUR READERS: This content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Palm Beach Post. If you want breaking coronavirus news directly in your inbox, sign up for our Coronavirus Newsletter. * PALM BEACH GARDENS – While opening a new business amid a global pandemic might seem unwise or scary to some, Bike Boutique by Villain owner Jeff Sandbrook had few concerns about forging ahead. The high-end bike store at Downtown Palm Beach Gardens opened its doors to customers May 1 in an effort to assist the local bike-riding community during the coronavirus crisis, store manager Natasha Perez said. The 1,449 square-foot-store, which takes over the space formerly occupied by iFixandRepair, sells mountain and cruiser bikes as well as exclusive European and American accessories. It also offers bike maintenance and rentals. >>EXCLUSIVE: Patients in Florida had symptoms as early as January It is considered an essential business in Florida because it provides transportation-related services, Sandbrook said. “Many people use their bicycles as their primary form of transportation, and they need to be serviced just like automobiles need to be,” he said. For those stuck at home and unable to do other recreational activities, bicycles are emerging from garages and back yards while others are buying for the first time. It’s also a way to avoid public transportation, which many people are shying away from at the moment. Opening amid a pandemic has brought challenges, Perez said. Those include a dramatic […]
