Drumming up bike-friendly businesses




ON THE ROAD—Bicyclists ride along Tierra Rejada Road on Nov. 18 in Moorpark. BOBBY CURTIS/Acorn Newspapers

ON THE ROAD—Bicyclists ride along Tierra Rejada Road on Nov. 18 in Moorpark. BOBBY CURTIS/Acorn Newspapers

When Mike Stewart rides his bike with a dozen or so other cyclists on Saturday mornings, the group likes to stop by local eateries and chat.

Cyclists, he said, typically look for places to eat with outdoor seating and bike parking. A place to refill water bottles is a plus.

But if those criteria make for a bike-friendly business, Moorpark, it seems, is lacking.

When asked if the Moorpark Bike Rides club would like to see more shops cater to cyclists in town, Stewart’s response was immediate.

“Oh yeah. You kidding me?” said the leader of the Moorpark chapter of the Channel Islands Bicycle Club. “Our group is social, so any time we can bike someplace and stop to eat is (the) social part of the ride.”

Stewart spoke in favor of making Moorpark more bike-friendly at the Nov. 15 City Council meeting after a presentation by Steve Bennett, supervisor of Ventura County’s District 1.

Bennett represented Cycle California Coast, an organization whose mission is to make Santa Barbara and Ventura counties more attractive to cyclists. The organization also recognizes bike-friendly businesses, and according to Bennett, the label leads to an increase in customers.

“When the bike clubs stop in at your business, you’re talking about an enormous amount of business that comes your way,” Bennett said.

Bennett pointed to the state of Oregon as an example. A study by the Oregon Tourism Commission found that cycling tourists spent $400 million in 2012, and, on average, 20 percent more money than the average tourist.

The district supervisor said Rabalais’ Bistro in Santa Paula was a good example of a bikefriendly business.

Rabalais’ Bistro, at 861 Main St., is a popular destination for cyclists. To accommodate them, owner Tracy Lippert worked with the city to install a large bike rack and allows water-bottle refills at her fountain.

Making the riders happy keeps them coming back from all over the county, the owner said in a phone interview with the Acorn.

“A lot of these cyclists don’t live here,” Lippert said. “We’re not a local restaurant for them, but we’re a destination for them to cycle to.”

Christopher Rubin, owner of Wingspan Cyclery at 144 Los Angeles Ave., wants Moorpark to become a more cycle-friendly city.

“I’d love to see people slow down and have the opportunity to visit different areas, whether it’s restaurants (or) other things,” Rubin said. “Unfortunately, with the way L.A. Avenue is designed, there’s really no way for people to take their time exploring all the different opportunities along (it).”

It’s not uncommon for cyclists to head out of town in search of better rides, taking their business with them, the shop owner said.

“Anything that keeps people in town and keeps them invested in Moorpark would be ideal,” Rubin said.

Rubin said one reason he opened Wingspan Cyclery in Moorpark was because he was drawn to High Street’s old-town feel and walkability. Making High Street more accessible to cyclists could attract customers to many of the businesses there, he said.

The city is already taking steps toward making its roads more accessible. The Princeton Avenue widening project will add bike lanes on both sides of the street, and a bike repair stand was built at Fire Station 42 on High Street in May.