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Bike shop and café opens in Virginia

Published January 26, 2018

ROANOKE, Va. (BRAIN) — Downshift, a combination bike shop and café, opened this fall in Roanoke, Virginia. The owners say it is the only business of its kind in the region, serving freshly roasted coffee and craft beer alongside offering a full retail shop. 

“At Downshift, it’s not about competitive cycling or even shredding the wildest trails, although we like that too. We want everyone to experience how wonderful it is to ride a bike and to make bicycling part of their everyday routine. Our mission is to bring bikes to life,” Downshift owner Stephen Ambruzs said.

The shop also hosts group rides and events “to attract more people to the bicycling community. … Downshift is rounding out the scene by helping people learn to use a bike for commuting, family recreation, bikepacking and gravel adventures,” Downshift stated in a release.

Downshift carries bikes from Brooklyn Bicycle Co., Linus, Surly, Yuba and State Bicycle Co., plus Soma frames. The shop’s café offers locally roasted coffee, six craft beers on tap (with growler fills) and food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For more information, visit Downshift’s website.

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