THIS SATURDAY (4/27), YOU’RE INVITED! Hometown Bicycles’ 9th Birthday Bash & Concert Free Food, Family Fun & a Musical Fundraiser for the BHS Cycling Club!
Nine years ago, we opened our doors, and brought Hometown Bicycles to life. As Shaun describes it, it’s like raising your first child… new parents, unsure of themselves in many ways, yet so excited to embark on this journey and all that accompanies it. Dreams and goals, fears and uncertainties, mistakes (and more mistakes), but, through it all, joy, pride, happiness and FUN. The adventure of a lifetime!
At Hometown, we celebrate our birthdays differently! We don’t ask for cards, or gifts, or even accolades. Hometownies, this celebration is about YOU. We believe that this is our time to give back to the people who supported us from inception to today — our customers, families, vendors, sponsors, and community. WE THANK YOU. Without you, none of THIS would be possible, so we want to share THIS with you!
Join us this Saturday, April 27th for a day of all-around positive energy flowing both inside and outside the shop. RAIN OR SHINE!
WE’RE BREAKING OUT THE GRILL! – 11:30 AM-1:30 PM: Swing by for a casual lunch of complimentary hot dogs and chips! Our grill masters will be roasting ’em up through the lunchtime hours.
BIRTHDAY RIDES – LEAVE AT 4 PM: Take to the roads with Team Hometown Co-Captain, Joe Ostervik, for a recreational beginner road ride, tackle the trails with our very own bicycle aficionado Les Cook on a beginner mountain bike ride, or sprint along single track in an intermediate/advanced mountain bike ride with Team Hometown Co-Captain, Mike Dyer! ALL are welcome!
FUNDRAISER CONCERT – 5:30-8:30 PM: After hours, enjoy the bluesy rock and roll of Hometown’s purveyor of extraordinary bike knowledge, Dan “CycloDan” Tribble and his Progressive Blues & Rhythm band.
Enjoy laid back, funky fun while supporting the Brighton High School Cycling Club with your $10 cover charge. The Cycling Club promotes the healthy lifestyle that mountain biking and cycling brings to student-athletes and their families.
This weekend marks THE FIRST TIME IN HOMETOWN’S HISTORY…
… that a Team Sponsor will be rocking out the shop!! For all of you who know Vinnie Baylerian of Pro Motion Physical Therapy, prepare to be astonished as your easy-going, rehab and bike fit pro jams on bass to popular rock classics with his talented family! Join us THIS SATURDAY, April 13th from 6:00-8:30 PM for this FREE evening of music and dancing at Hometown with DoL (Descendants of Levon) Band! You’ll enjoy light refreshments and snacks (BYOB) in this musical kick-off to Hometown’s 9th Birthday Celebration Month.
Let us know you’re coming HERE(so we can plan for enough refreshment!)
And speaking of Pro-Motion Physical Therapy…
HIGH FIVES from your Hometownies!! March 28th marked Pro-Motion’s 8th Anniversary! Vinnie Baylerian and his crew opened their doors in downtown Brighton to make the community a healthier, happier place. Congratulations, Vinnie, on your success and we look forward to many years of collaboration with you!
SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, April 27th Hometown’s 9th Birthday Bash & Roll-n-Rock A Fundraiser for the BHS Cycling Club!
There will be food, music, and all-around positive energy flowing both inside and outside the shop throughout the day… and no Hometown birthday would be complete without a Birthday Ride! (And cake. Let’s not forget cake!) BIRTHDAY RIDES – LEAVE AT 4PM: Take to the roads with Team Hometown Co-Captain, Joe Ostervik for a recreational beginner road ride, tackle the trails with our very own bicycle aficionado Les Cook on a beginner mountain bike ride, or sprint along single track in an intermediate/advanced MTB ride with Team Hometown Co-Captain, Mike Dyer!
FUNDRAISER CONCERT – 5:30-8:30PM: After hours, enjoy the bluesy rock and roll of Hometown’s purveyor of extraordinary bike knowledge, Dan “CycloDan” Tribble and his Progressive Blues & Rhythm band. Enjoy laid back, funky fun while supporting the Brighton High School Cycling Club!
Stay tuned for further details about birthday activities!
Who loves Spring? WE DO!
There’s no better way to enjoy Spring than a Hometown Shop Ride on a beautiful sunny day in Brighton.
We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced rides… all skill levels are welcome!
Don’t have a bike? We rent them! Inquire at the shop.
Make sure to print or pick up your Shop Ride schedule!
Monday kicked off our Beginner Road Ride and Tuesday was the inaugural 2019 Ladies Beginner Mountain Bike Ride. Look at those happy faces and sweet jerseys!
We sometimes get asked about the term NO DROP that you see on the Ride descriptions. People wonder if this means you have to register and can’t drop in… no… you can always drop in!
NO DROP simply means that no one is left behind. Each ride had a Lead and a Sweep; the Sweep will make sure that the group stays together and no one gets “dropped”!
MiSCA More Girls on Bikes Game Night & Potluck at Hometown!
Over spring break, we happily hosted a group of girls for a fun night of games, snacks, and a balance bike “race” around the shop!
The girls had the opportunity to learn more about MiSCA. What is MiSCA, you ask? The Michigan Scholastic Cycling Association!
MiSCA works to establish and maintain safe, quality scholastic cycling programs. They also promote the value of cycling to our youth and community as a mode of transportation and as a lifelong sport.
“Let’s get more girls on bikes” is one of their objectives!
Click HERE to learn more about MiSCA and their upcoming events.
Hometown Business Incubator We have a major project going on in Hometown’s back room – a buildout that includes a new business incubator rental space!
What is a business incubator? Business incubators are organizations that offer startups shared operation space. In short, they offer fledgling young companies a warm, safe place to grow and prosper.
Our incubator will be ideal for:
Business meetings
Networking groups
Fitness classes
Startup churches
Kids programs
Arts/crafts programs and classes
Hometown’s business incubator will be available for hourly rentals. Incubator Sponsorships are now available. If you would like to learn about rental or Sponsorship, contact Dawn at office@myhometownbicycles.com.
Grand Opening coming SOON!
CURRENTLY SEEKING FULL-TIME SERVICE TECHS Monday-Friday, 9-5
Stop by the shop for an application.
FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES
Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM $5 drop-in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf |Click to learn more
Power 30 | Wednesdays 7 PM $5 drop in – With Martha Soraruf | Click to learn more
Zumba | Mondays 6 PM & Thursdays 9:30 AM $8 drop in or “10 classes for $60” punch card – With Leslie Barrett | Click to learn more
Zumba GOLD | Fridays 9:30 AM $8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke | Click to learn more
intenSati | Sundays 10 AM $10 drop in – With Dawn Gaden | Click to learn more
Did you know? Brighton ATA Martial Arts has set up shop in Hometown’s Community Room 2-3 evenings/week. Sign up for your free trial and learn martial arts at your own pace. Click to learn more.
At our last Hometown staff meeting, Mark Binkley with Cooper & Binkley Jewelers shared insights into creating an outstanding customer experience. Thank you, Mark, for helping support the improvement of a fellow local business! Now that’s community-mindedness!!
A VISUAL HAYRIDE THROUGH HOMETOWN’S 8TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Last Sunday’s BIG Hometown birthday bash was a thing of beauty… full-out Spring and over 100 in attendance! It was a sight to be seen, so I’ve pulled together a few photo highlights to give you a flavor for the fun that was had! (Special thanks to Team member, Paula Zimmer, for good-naturedly stepping into the role of event photographer!) ABOVE: The day kicked off with birthday gifts, games, and prizes for all of the loyal Hometownies who came to celebrate with us! ABOVE: No Hometown party would be complete without a birthday bike ride! This one was hopping with eager beavers who’d been just itching for warm weather to hit. ABOVE: Grill Master Mike worked his behind-the-grill wizardry yet again, serving up a delicious stream of hot dog after burger after hot dog to a whole lotta hungry Hometownies. Birthday cake added a sweet finale to a perfect party picnic. ABOVE: Helena was a personable and welcome addition to our family event, spreading the word and answering questions about Make-A-Wish’s famous Wish-A-Mile charitable bike tour. We also had a Hometown first, courtesy of the Andres family – first baby tooth to fall out at one of our events! (Hope the tooth fairy was generous!) ABOVE: The best part of any Hometown event is the friendships forged and memories shared.
Hometownies, I told you presents weren’t necessary, but you went ahead and gave us a tidal wave of loyalty, love, and other heart-warming sentiments to remind us of why we do what we’re doing and who we’re doing it for anyway. Thanks so much for coming out to celebrate with us. Happy 8th Birthday, Hometown Bicycles!
If you’ve been a regular reader of these newsletters, you know that, every now and then, I get bit by the contemplation bug. Turns out, eight years of awesome makes your newsletter correspondent reflective…
I’ve been thinking – vanity or not, I’m button-busting proud of our shop. Intensely proud. Hometown is unmatched for loyalty. We may be “small”, but we’re resourceful. We may be young, but we’re hard-core committed. We may be boat-rockers, but we’re changing the landscape of what customers should and do expect from their bike shop. We’re fake-free, we operate with integrity, and we roll with a strong belief in karma.
I consider it a reality of Hometown that for every ounce of pride I feel, YOU should carry it in equal measure. We are, to a large degree, a reflection of you! Shaun and I and the Crew can give it all we’ve got, but Hometown doesn’t amount to diddly without you giving it wheels to roll on.
Every time you tell a friend to shop here, share our fliers, and bring someone along on a shop ride, you’re literally growing Hometown… AND your ownership in it. Every time you spend a dollar here, you’re making an investment in developing a resource – YOUR resource – for all things cycling. You’re basically telling the world what kind of shop you deserve, and building it along the way!
I really believe that’s the coolest thing about Hometown – in so many ways, its a by-the-people-for-the-people type thing. You’re “the people”. You’re HOMETOWN people. And that is definitely something you can be proud of.
Thanks again for supporting us eight year’s strong, Hometownies… here’s to the next eight!
(A few of the happy Hometownies who enjoyed the great weather at this year’s Barry Roubaix!)
TEAM NEWS: HAVING A “BARRY” GOOD TIME
An extraordinary 28 Team Hometown riders (that’s over a quarter of our Team! WOW!) raced last Saturday at the world’s largest gravel road bike race, Barry-Roubaix. They left their mark on the course, and I’m not just talking about tire tracks in the “plush”, freshly graded roadways!
Seven times, our Team took the podium. Congratulations go to Meghan Terbush and Jordan Richter, placing 2nd and 4th consecutively in their division; Roger Pelkey nabbed 5th place in his age group; Colin Chisholm owned his age group’s 3rd place position; Jack Riddle and Joe Ostervik killed it with 1st and 2nd in their division; and Jack Riddle podiumed again in 4th place OVERALL, thanks to his 5 minute lead!
We’d also like to give a shout out to avid Team Hometownie and cyclist, Jean Steinberg, who gave up the chance to party hearty with us last weekend, so that she could advance the future of youth cycling!
Jean worked with about 20 MiSCA coaches on Ride Leading and Teaching MTB Skills as part of the new 2018 Coach Training program, which was held in a small local park in East Grand Rapids. Way to support the future of our sport, Jean!
HOMETOWN DOES EARTH DAY AT THE MILLPOND
With the weather creeping back towards lovable, last Saturday’s Downtown Brighton Earth Day expo found Hometown Service Tech Joe running Tire Toss in a t-shirt at this environmental awareness event. Our thanks to Dave Richardson and the Greater Brighton Area Chamber Environmental Council, for the opportunity to participate!
WE’RE HIRING – STOP IN AND APPLY!
Creating the magic of Hometown is no small thing, and we don’t hire lightly, but we do offer positions that are meaningful and make a real difference in the lives of customers, our community, and the cycling industry. We currently have openings for:
Part-Time Social Media Specialist Helps market and share the Hometown culture on social media. Must be social media savvy, highly organized, an excellent writer, and skilled in photography. Graphic design skills a plus.
Part-Time Events Coordinator Coordinates and manages on- and off-premises shop events of all types. Must be highly organized, creative, detail-oriented, an excellent communicator, sociable, and enthusiastic.
Full- and Part-Time Service Techs Provides reliably outstanding technical bike service. Some technical knowledge preferred. Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, focused, and a quick learner.
Full- and Part-Time Sales Associates Provides reliably outstanding customer service, including sales, cashiering, and shop organization and cleanliness. Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, sociable, enthusiastic, and a quick study.
Drop by our shop, introduce yourself, and pick up an application. You’ll never know unless you try!
THIS WEEK’S SHOP RIDES
Pop-Up Mountain Bike Ride – Intermediate/Advanced SATURDAY, APR 28 | 10AM (MEET BY 9:45AM) | FROM JANOWSKI FIELD TRAILHEAD
Join us as we explore some brand new trail in Proud Lake, riding a new connector around the campground that links Proud Lake to Hickory Glen. We will also head into the hidden gem of Milford Trail. Plan for ~15-20 miles. Meet at Janowski Field Trailhead, 301 Peters Rd., Milford (between GM and Commerce Roads). Check Facebook for Ride confirmation and changes!
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Hartland Gravel Grinder – Intermediate/Advanced SUNDAY, APR 29 | 9:00AM (MEET BY 8:45AM) | FROM HARTLAND TWP HALL
Come enjoy beautiful, HILLY country roads and wonderful ride company. Expect several TOUGH, LONG CLIMBS, at an average 14 – 15 MPH pace for all 28.2 miles. The group may split into 2, with the front pack averaging > 15 mph. (Check out Dan’s Gravel Grinding 101 ride for a less grueling option.) Cross/Gravel, Mountain and Fat bikes are welcome. Meet in the Hartland Twp. Hall lower parking lot (turn right once in the drive) at 2655 Clark Rd. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
***Rent a Fat Bike at the shop!***
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Beginner Friendly Road Ride MONDAY, APR 30 | 6:00PM (MEET BY 5:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
This one’s for the beginner rider who wants to increase mileage and speed. We’ll ride the well-known “to-the-Green-Dumpster-and-back” loop (~12-15 miles), or more for those who are ready. A and B groups will average 10-15+ mph. Road bikes only! Please have some experience on your bike, along with basic shifting and braking skills for the safety of the group. Beyond that, we’ll share some tips to make the hills easier and the flats faster! Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
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Advanced Skills & Drills TUESDAY, MAY 1 | 6:00PM (MEET BY 5:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Want to learn to ride with a peloton? This ADVANCED, road warrior training is led by our Team racers! You’ll learn and practice: draft lines, hill repeats and intervals. Come ready to work hard. Bring a cadence sensor, speed sensor, and heart rate monitor. No Drop! Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
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Ladies’ Road Ride TUESDAY, MAY 1 | 6:30PM (MEET BY 6:15PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Ladies, this one’s just for you! This weekly, road ride is for gals of all ability levels. We’ll ride the well-known “green dumpster” loop at Island Lake (~14 miles) at a conversational, 10mph pace. All bikes welcome, NO DROP RIDE. Afterward, relax, connect, and rehydrate with your new biking friends. BYOB!Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
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Gravel Grinding 101 WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 | 6:00PM (MEET BY 5:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Ride with your Hometown bike guru, CycloDan Tribble! Front and rear light required, as we end at dusk. This ride weaves through and around Island Lake, covering 13+ miles of pavement, dirt trails and gravel roads (a few hills just for fun!) at an average 12-13 mph. Expect a “puddle” or two of sand and a few face slappers on the trails this time of year. Nothing our gravel, adventure or mountain/fat bikes can’t easily handle. Skinny tire bikes will NOT work for this ride. All levels welcome – NO DROP RIDE. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
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Ladies Only Beginner Mountain Bike Ride THURSDAY, MAY 3 | 6:30PM (MEET BY 6:15PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Ladies, come learn beginning mountain bike skills! We’ll tackle the trails in manageable bites, with the empowering support of skilled and supportive Hometown women. We’ll ride together to Island Lake Recreation Area, and focus on taking the fear and uncertainty out of riding the trails! No Drop. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
Many of you are familiar with the rockin’ beats and great cardio that take place weekly on our showroom floor. But for those who haven’t yet experienced fitness classes at Hometown, or simply want a high-energy pick-me-up, here are a few classes you’ll absolutely want to try!
CARDIO DRUMMING | Wednesdays at 6:00PM
$5 drop in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf Click to learn more
ZUMBA | Mondays at 6:00PM & Thursdays at 9:30AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Leslie Barrett Click to learn more
I have a thing for tools. (So do we, Tim!)
~ Tim Allen
Be sure to check out the limited edition Home Improvement bike on loan from Bruce & Betsy of Advanced Metal Alloy when you drop your bike off for a tune-up. One of only 201 in the world!
WEATHER LOOKS PERFECT FOR OUR 8TH-YEAR CELEBRATION!
Spring sprang, just in time for our new birthday party date of this Sunday, April 22nd from noon-6pm!
By now, you know it’ll be a day of family-friendly birthday games and prizes, presents (for you!), and a 3pm birthday bike ridewith grill out and birthday cake to follow. Make-a-Wish of Michiganwill be joining us with a Wish-a-Mile ride information table, manned by Team Sponsors, Dr. Bill & Louise Horal! Now, all that’s left to do is show up and have fun. Can’t wait to celebrate with you!!
Earlier this month, Team Hometown Bicycles braved icy temps and stiff winds to compete at northern Michigan’s Lowell 50 Classic Gravel Road Race. We’d like to high five Linc Wehrly, Jack Riddle, and Brian Forhan for hanging tough and riding strong!
Tomorrow will find a flood of Hometownies racing the world’s largest gravel road bike race, Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race… including your very own Ride Coordinator! (Kick some gravel butt, Laura!!) Whether you’re riding or not, come hang out at the Hometown tent and cheer on your Team – the weather will be all kinds of nice for riders and spectators alike. Good luck, Team!!
LUNCHING AND LEARNING WITH THE KEM KREST CREW
For years, we’ve enjoyed quality expo time with the Kem Krest crew at their annual Wellness Fair. We love how this company puts their employees’ health at the top of the list! We were honored to accept a recent invitation to talk basic bike maintenance at a lively corporate lunch-and-learn, where fascination and fun were the order of the day. Thanks for that opportunity, Kem Krest crew!
We LOVE to share our bike know-how! If you’d like to book Hometown for your upcoming business event, please email Dawn at events@myhometownbicycles.com.
WE’RE HIRING – STOP IN AND APPLY!
Creating the magic of Hometown is no small thing, and we don’t hire lightly, but we do offer positions that are meaningful and make a real difference in the lives of customers, our community, and the cycling industry. We currently have openings for:
Part-Time Social Media Specialist Helps market and share the Hometown culture on social media. Must be social media savvy, highly organized, an excellent writer, and skilled in photography. Graphic design skills a plus.
Part-Time Events Coordinator Coordinates and manages on- and off-premises shop events of all types. Must be highly organized, creative, detail-oriented, an excellent communicator, sociable, and enthusiastic.
Full- and Part-Time Service Techs Provides reliably outstanding technical bike service. Some technical knowledge preferred. Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, focused, and a quick learner.
Full- and Part-Time Sales Associates Provides reliably outstanding customer service, including sales, cashiering, and shop organization and cleanliness. Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, sociable, enthusiastic, and a quick study.
Drop by our shop, introduce yourself, and pick up an application. You’ll never know unless you try!
THIS WEEK’S SHOP RIDES
Pop-Up Mountain Bike Ride – Advanced SATURDAY, APR 21 | 9:00AM (MEET BY 8:45AM) | FROM BRIGHTON REC TRAILHEAD
Join us at Brighton Recreation Area for an ADVANCED ride on the mountain bike trails. We’re riding 20+ miles at 8-10 mph. Advanced level skills are required for these trails and pace. Mud, Sweat & Beers is 3 weeks away, so come get some training in with us! Check Facebook for Ride confirmation and changes!
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Hartland Gravel Grinder – Intermediate/Advanced SUNDAY, APR 22 | 9:00AM (MEET BY 8:45AM) | FROM HARTLAND TWP HALL
Come enjoy beautiful, HILLY country roads and wonderful ride company. Expect several TOUGH, LONG CLIMBS, at an average 14 – 15 MPH pace for all 28.2 miles. The group may split into 2, with the front pack averaging > 15 mph. (Check out Dan’s Gravel Grinding 101 ride for a less grueling option.) Cross/Gravel, Mountain and Fat bikes are welcome. Meet in the Hartland Twp. Hall lower parking lot (turn right once in the drive) at 2655 Clark Rd. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
***Rent a Fat Bike at the shop!***
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Hometown Bicycles Birthday Bike Ride! SUNDAY, APR 22 | 3:00PM (MEET BY 2:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Come celebrate 8 incredible years of Hometown adventures and existence on a birthday party bike ride for riders of all levels and bikes of all types! We’ll ride the famous, Island Lake “Green Dumpster loop” at a conversational “party pace”. You’ll return to a grill out and birthday cake with your Hometown peeps. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
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Beginner Friendly Road Ride MONDAY, APR 23 | 6:00PM (MEET BY 5:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
This one’s for the beginner rider who wants to increase mileage and speed. We’ll ride the well-known “to-the-Green-Dumpster-and-back” loop (~12-15 miles), or more for those who are ready. A and B groups will average 10-15+ mph. Road bikes only! Please have some experience on your bike, along with basic shifting and braking skills for the safety of the group. Beyond that, we’ll share some tips to make the hills easier and the flats faster! Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
………………………………………………..
Ladies’ Road Ride TUESDAY, APR 24 | 7:00PM (MEET BY 6:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Ladies, this one’s just for you! This weekly, road ride is for gals of all ability levels. We’ll ride the well-known “green dumpster” loop at Island Lake (~14 miles) at a conversational, 10mph pace. All bikes welcome, NO DROP RIDE. Afterward, relax, connect, and rehydrate with your new biking friends. BYOB!Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
………………………………………………..
Gravel Grinding 101 WEDNESDAY, APR 25 | 6:00PM (MEET BY 5:45PM) | FROM HOMETOWN
Ride with your Hometown bike guru, CycloDan Tribble! Front and rear light required, as we end at dusk. This ride weaves through and around Island Lake, covering 13+ miles of pavement, dirt trails and gravel roads (a few hills just for fun!) at an average 12-13 mph. Expect a “puddle” or two of sand and a few face slappers on the trails this time of year. Nothing our gravel, adventure or mountain/fat bikes can’t easily handle. Skinny tire bikes will NOT work for this ride. All levels welcome – NO DROP RIDE. Check Facebook for ride confirmation and changes!
Many of you are familiar with the rockin’ beats and great cardio that take place weekly on our showroom floor. But for those who haven’t yet experienced fitness classes at Hometown, or simply want a high-energy pick-me-up, here are a few classes you’ll absolutely want to try!
CARDIO DRUMMING | Wednesdays at 6:00PM
$5 drop in / $5 equipment rental – With Martha Soraruf Click to learn more
ZUMBA | Mondays at 6:00PM & Thursdays at 9:30AM
$8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Leslie Barrett Click to learn more
