Rural Cyclery set to open Saturday
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
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With renovations largely complete, Winchester’s Rural Cyclery, a combination bike shop and coffee bar located at 21 S. Main St. in Winchester, is set to open this Saturday, Sept. 18. Taking advantage of good summer weather and increased traffic created by W-C’s homecoming festivities and Alzheimer’s walkers, Rural Cyclery offered residents and visitors a glimpse inside the shop last Saturday as well.
Winchester’s Rural Cyclery offered residents a glimpse inside the new bike shop and coffee bar last Saturday, Sept. 11, when the shop opened for residents to see the renovated space and enjoy coffee and craft beers.
According to Jackie Kuchy, who owns the business with her husband Colin, she was excited to show off the space on an ideal summer weekend.
“With homecoming weekend, a lot of people were back in town, and the car show at the high school and the Alzheimer’s walk created more traffic through town,” Kuchy said. “We just felt it was a good opportunity to get people in the space to see it. We’ve had such a great response, we been itching to open up.”
During the day of the business’s soft opening, a very limited menu of drip coffee and cold brew was offered. Saturday also allowed the business to offer customers an opportunity to enjoy a small selection of craft beer, which will be available at the business. The city council approved a beer and wine license for the business at Winchester’s April 7 council meeting.
“Our distributor brought down some craft beers,” Kuchy said. “It was great to have some people in to have a drink and socialize.”
Kuchy said the business plans to open up with regular hours this Saturday, Sept. 18.
“We’re hoping to commit to regular hours Saturday,” Kuchy said. “Our staff has been training on the espresso machine this week.”
According to Kuchy, while the staff is still learning, customers can expect an array of traditional café drinks.
“I’m not saying we’re going to be able to make everything Starbucks has at this point,” Kuchy said. “But we’ll at least be able to do several espresso drinks.”
Down the line, Rural Cyclery plans to have a kitchen located in the building just south of their current location, but currently the business is only offering cafe drinks and craft beers.
“We’ve been approved by the health department for the bar component,” Kuchy said. “With some electrical work, we could put a countertop oven in the bar area to start doing simple things like muffins, scones and breakfast breads.”
Kuchy said her aim is to have the business’s commercial kitchen up and running in the next couple of months.
“Our goal is to have the kitchen in operation by the holiday season,” Kuchy said.
Of course, the other component of the business is the bike shop, which Kuchy said is already in operation.
“Colin has been doing repairs,” Kuchy said. “And we’ve actually been selling bikes.”
Rural Cyclery is a licensed Giant bicycle dealer, and Kuchy said the business has a range of bicycle styles available.
“We have e-bikes, hybrids and a ton of kids’ bikes in various sizes,” Kuchy said.
Also carried at the business are bicycle accessories and Rural Cyclery branded merchandise and apparel.
Rural Cyclery is located at 21 S. Main St. in Winchester. Hours are Mon. – Fri. from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m., Wed. – Thurs. from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., Fri. from 3 p.m. – 9 p.m., Sat. from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sun. from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For more information, call 217-742-4025 or find the Rural Cyclery on Facebook.
