Bike Gallery

Link to article on broadsheet.com.au

Bike Gallery in Hawthorn

Once selling Persian rugs, this gallery is now for bikes of all kinds, and you can get a coffee there too.

By Alexandra Cottee, 3rd December 2010

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I

t was “the end of an era!” Or so the sign once read proudly plastered across this unassuming shop frontage in a neat side street off Camberwell Junction. After providing this leafy suburb with the finest in Persian rugs for 15 years, Mr Kamal was shutting up shop, for his namesake Persian Rug Gallery was making way for a gallery of a different kind.

What was once Kamal’s Persian Rug Gallery is now The Bike Gallery selling road, town and commuting bikes, and coffee. Little Mule was perhaps the first to introduce the marriage of espresso and bicycles (in one place) to love-struck Melburnians, but if you're serious about your riding you’ll pedal over to Hawthorn for it.

New owner Lincoln Brown and architect Robyn Beattie joined forces to make a swift departure from a dusty and cavernous space to reveal some decidedly good bones. Exposed brick walls meet white church-like ceilings and smooth, polished concrete floors. But once you’ve pushed you’re way through the big canary-yellow door, a cascading wall of ply-wood that houses the two-grind Synesso cyncra with matching canary side-panels awaits.

Brown spoke of four components that define the space. Before all, it is a retail space that doubles as a place for sipping on lattes and strong flat whites made by none-other than ex-world barista champion Dave Makin. There’s also a bike-fitting studio upstairs, and a service centre with a workshop for servicing and repairs.

The coffee is Axil, and the clothing is custom-made by Sportful in Italy. Bikes and coffee, he’s on to a good thing.

Bike Gallery
74 Auburn Parade, Hawthorn East
(03) 9882 2031

Hours
Mon closed
Tue-Wed 10.30am-6.30pm
Thu-Fri 10.30am-7pm
Sat 10am-5pm
Sun noon-4pm