Honest Bike Shop owner ready to ride off into the sunset

After 36 years in business, one of Rochester’s most prominent pedal-pushers says he and his bike shop have reached the end of the trail.

Honest Bike Shop will permanently close on September 19, owner Paul Myhrom confirmed Thursday. Myhrom first opened for business in 1984 at 708 8th Avenue SE — most recently listed as the address of Kay Embroidered Designs — before moving to its current location on 4th Street SE in 2003.

While Myhrom says Covid-19 put a strain on bike manufacturing and inventory, the pandemic did not force him to close the shop (on the contrary, he says — business has actually been very good). 

Simply put, the time was right to call it a career. Myhrom turns 65 in February, and the pandemic presented an opportunity to go out on his own terms.

“It’s the perfect time to retire,” said Myhrom. “There’s an inventory shortage for bikes, bike parts and accessories, so liquidation should be very easy.”

Myhrom says Honest Bike Shop was the longest-running dealer of Giant-branded bicycles — currently the world’s largest bike manufacturer — in America, working with the brand since it debuted in America in 1988. With Myhrom’s decision to close the shop instead of passing the name down to someone else, that streak will end — and Myhrom says he is at peace with that fact.

“I am very comfortable letting the business and name dissolve into history,” said Myhrom. 

Myhrom owns the building, and said he plans to lease the former bike shop storefront to an attorney. As for what’s next for him, Myhrom says he plans to “relax and decompress for a while” in retirement — but that period won’t last forever.

“Later, I’ll probably want something to do,” said Myhrom.

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.