Hometown is an official drop-off site for the Toys for Tots drive. Between the Marines and Salvation Army, 800 families in Livingston County have a Christmas they wouldn’t have otherwise, thanks to programs like this and the generosity of supporters like the Hometown community.
Toys are for kids up to age 14, and must be new and unwrapped. No stuffed toys, please.
We’re having a Roadies vs. Mountain Bikers competition — fill the boxes! (Currently, the MTB-ers are beating the Roadies 39-22. Step it up, Roadies!)
A room full of Entrepreneurs is a beautiful sight!
Over 25 entrepreneurs and small business owners joined us on Tuesday 12/10 for our Marketing Yourself & Your Business forum. Our Community Room was filled with creative-minded go-getters, a combination of Livingston County business owners and newbies ready to bring their dreams to fruition!
A huge thank you to our wonderful panel of speakers:
This engaging group shared information on building your brand, internet marketing, putting together a cohesive marketing strategy, the importance of networking & more!
Your Hometown ladies, Dawn and Leslie, are big supporters of entrepreneurship so you better believe our next forum will be coming up in early 2020. Keep your eyes peeled!
Hey, Fatties! Thanks for your support of Global Fat Bike Day!
Team Hometown had a fantastic day riding on Saturday 12/7 — it was the 2019 Global Fat Bike Day. Our shop ride headed to Island Lake Recreation Area, with Team members Gary Kulhanek and Gary Weak serving as ride lead and sweep. They were joined by Team members Jeff Wirth and Dennis Doherty and five newbies who were geeked to head out on their first fat bike ride with Hometown.
Other Team Hometown members headed to Sleepy Hollow State Park: Co-Captain Mike Dyer, Tom Hermann, Erik Frazier, and Andy Showerman with his two sons.
Coming Soon: Winter Clinic Series
Beginning January 11, 2020, we will kick off our highly informative and, many times, hands-on Winter Clinic Series!
All clinics will be held on Saturdays at 11 AM at Hometown Bicycles. Stay tuned for more details and sign-up information.
Here are the topics for 2020:
Fat Tire Fix
Emergency Repair
Bike Maintenance – Before the Ride
Bike Maintenance – After the Ride
Bike Fitting Basics with Vinnie Baylerian, PT, DPT, Certified Level 2 Clinical BikeFit Pro
Nutrition: Get Healthy, Get Fit
Where to Ride in Michigan
Ring! Ring! We have a new phone system …
Do not fear. Change is sometimes good!
When you call, you now have the option of choosing which department you wish to speak to:
Press 1 for Service and Parts Press 2 for Retail or any other questions
Same great service, but now we get you right to where you want to be!
Join us at Hometown Bicycles for a fun, engaging and informative program aimed at business owners, start-ups, and entrepreneurs who want to enter the new year with a solid marketing plan.
Meet Our Speakers!
Susan Pominville, Abovo Visual Communications How to tell a cohesive story that communicates the most important aspects of your businessMike Langford, Turtlehut Internet Marketing How to navigate the ever-evolving world of online marketing Colleen Fitzgerald & Blair Bradford, Sky Zone How to create an integrated marketing plan for your business Nicole Dietrich, Lake Trust Credit Union Micro Business Loans to help small business owners bring their ideas to life
There will be time for a Q&A session following the speakers, plus refreshments and time to chat with like-minded folks in our community. Can’t wait to learn alongside you!
Toys for Tots at Hometown!
Hometown is an official drop-off site for the Toys for Tots drive. Between the Marines and Salvation Army, 800 families in Livingston County have a Christmas they wouldn’t have otherwise, thanks to programs like this and the generosity of supporters like the Hometown community.
Toys are for kids up to age 14, and must be new and unwrapped. No stuffed toys, please.
We’re having a Roadies vs. Mountain Bikers competition — fill the boxes! (Currently, the MTB-ers are beating the Roadies 37-20. Egads, Roadies! Santa is watching you!)
Team Night!
Sunday, December 15 from 5:30-7:30 PM It’s that time of year ALREADY?! Time to think about joining Team Hometown Bicycles for the year 2020!
We’re having a grand celebration to recap this year’s triumphs and contributions to the cycling community, distribute awards to our existing (and very awesome) Team members, present information to prospective members on what it means to join Team Hometown, and eat loads of Gus’s mostaccioli and breadsticks!
This event is open to ALL — you will have the opportunity to learn what Team Hometown is all about, join the 2020 Team, and sign up to be a Ride Volunteer. Come one, come all for a fun, interactive and all-around feel good evening celebrating YOU.
What better way to celebrate Global Fat Bike Daythan to join us for a ride this Saturday 12/7. We will be assembling at the shop at 9:15 AM and will leave promptly at 9:30 AM. We’ll be meeting up with plenty of other riders from all over Southeast Michigan at Island Lake Recreation Area.
FIRST PLACE FEELS AWESOME!!! The 2019 Click on Detroit Vote 4 the Best contest ran from mid-June through mid-July, giving members of the Greater Detroit area the ability to nominate and cast votes for their favorite businesses in a variety of categories. Winners were announced the week of July 22-26th and the public has indeed spoken! HOMETOWN BICYCLES WON BEST BIKE SHOP!
We are humbled and proud to be your #1 bicycle shop, out of so many in the running, and can’t thank you enough for your support and votes!
If you haven’t yet visited our shop, make sure to stop in. Say hi, join us on a shop ride, bring your bike in for service, check out our crazy fun bike-related items in the gifts and novelties area, or attend one of our upcoming classes or events!
Speaking of classes, guess what? Our Events Coordinator and in-shop Zumba instructor, Leslie Barrett, took second place in the Zumba Fitness category! This is a pretty big honor for her as an independent instructor not affiliated with a studio or gym — she was up against some pretty big competition. Congratulations, Leslie!
Thank you Hometownies for making us #1 — now get those voting fingers ready for next year!
Meet Paul Wrona – the newest member of our Hometown crew!
Tell us about your new role at Hometown. What are some of your goals for the shop? My new role is Service Lead. My mission is to make things smoother-easier-faster for the service techs and, at the same time, provide better, more consistent customer experiences. The service team does a fantastic job with diagnosing and solving problems. I want that to come through even more to the customers, so they can appreciate how knowledgeable and awesome the guys really are!
How long have you been part of Team Hometown Bicycles, our cycling team? What’s your favorite part of being on the Team? I am a new member this year. The best part is the camaraderie of the group rides. I’ve met so many great people this year. My addiction to cycling started 4 years ago when I moved to Brighton and rode the Murray Lake Trail for the first time. Life hasn’t been the same since.
Favorite ride or race in Michigan? I have not participated in a race… yet. My favorite ride so far was the Tour deTroit. I’m from there originally so it was nice to go back and ride some of the old neighborhoods. Looking forward to the gravel route of the Tour de Livingston this fall!
Tell us something random about you, that we wouldn’t know otherwise. I’m a SciFi and Space geek – Everything from the Apollo program to SpaceX and Phillip K Dick to Neal Stephenson
Coffee drinker? How do you take your coffee? Um… I can’t stand coffee. Is that allowed?
Baylerian’s Bagels, Bikes & Brew: Sponsored by Pro-Motion Physical TherapySunday, August 11 from 9 AM-1 PM
Join Team Hometown Bicycles’ Title Sponsor, Vinnie Baylerian, for a morning chock full of fun. Kick things off at Pro-Motion Physical Therapy with coffee and bagels, head out on a guided bike ride, and wind down after at Brewery Becker.
This will be a 16-mile mixed road and gravel ride. There will be two groups for the ride: An A group for faster riders and B group for everyone else! Team Hometown’s Jack Riddle will lead the A group and Vinnie Baylerian will lead the B group. Check out the route!
New! For our hard core gravel riders, join Jack for a bonus/optional 30-mile pre-ride at 7 AM.
“Without the full plan in place, the transit system, including connector trails and bike paths, will likely never come to fruition,” states Neal. “I am helping represent the biking component and other leaders represent segments such as seniors, veterans, and the disabled. There is positive momentum in the county right now and we need to continue to push forward.”
Shaun did a beautiful job presenting to the Board of Commissioners. His comments really struck home with the people there, and a few attendees thanked him for his insightful addition to the pro-Transit Master Plan conversation. You go, Shaun!
Women’s Entrepreneurship: FREE Fitness Forum! Thursday, August 22 from 6-8 PM
Our fabulously informative Women’s Entrepreneurship Series continues, this time with a focus onFITNESS.
For new fitness professionals and business owners in the fitness industry (as well as those considering this career path), come spend the evening with inspirational fitness women who will share their business journeys via a panel discussion. Be sure to bring your questions!
There will be food, there will be fun, and there will be fellowship with like-minded women!
Topics to be covered:
Where should I teach?
What should I expect in terms of startup cost?
What is my target client base, and how do I find them?
How do I increase attendance?
What are the best ways to market myself?
When do I throw in the towel and when should I persevere?
Yoga, weight training, mountain biking, and long distance running are a few of Jenny’s favorite activities. She never lets her workouts get boring. “I train myself using many different modes. This is reflected in the way I design workouts for my clients.”
“I am truly blessed to have a job where I help people realize their potential.” states Jenny.
We are super thrilled to have Jenny on our panel of experts for this event! Stay tuned next week for the reveal of our next guest speaker.
Upcoming Events at Hometown!
We have all sorts of good things brewing at the shop and in the community — mark your calendars for one or all of the following!
Intro to Mountain Biking Wednesday, August 7 from 6-8 PM Spring Mill Pond, Island Lake Recreation Area
Calling all beginners! Looking for a new biking experience that goes beyond paved paths? Join the park Explorer Guide, Becca, and Team Hometown Bicycles to gain the basics of this exciting recreation activity! FREE event! Come prepared with helmet, closed-toed shoes, and your own bike. Ages 12 and up. All children under 18 must have an adult present.
Join us for a 13-mile Gravel Ride around and through Island Lake and back to the shop! We will then have a Monkey Loob Mixer — demonstration, Q&A about this amazing product, and time to socialize with Lyndsay Stiles, competitive mountain biker and inventor and owner of Monkey Loob, with fellow cyclists.
In Team Hometown News…
There was an excellent showing by Team Hometown at the 14th Annual Tree Farm Relay on Saturday, July 27th!
Left to right: Congrats to Olga Brinduse, John Wyatt, Doug Queener and Joe Ostervik for their podium finish in Coed Sport!
It’s a perfect race for the beginner looking to see what team/endurance racing is all about and for experienced racers looking to test their skills against rival teams.
FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES
Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM$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 and 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 and Sundays 10:30 AM $8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke | Click to learn more
Sati Yoga | Tuesdays 6:30 PM beginning August 13 $7 drop in – With Dawn Gaden, RYT | Click to learn more
Hometown was invited to present Bike Safety at Challenger Elementary’s Summer Reading Program on 7/24.
Les shares: “Had a wonderful time teaching kids about bike safety. Sheriff Mike Murphy was even there to support us and the kids!”
Voting runs through Sunday, July 14 at 11 PM. You can vote often and much… every hour, in fact… we know that’s a heck-of-a-lot of voting, but anything you can do to help is so appreciated!
It’s that simple! Add it to your bookmarks to make it even easier.
(PSSST!!! Dawn here, sneaking in a quick message! DID YOU KNOW that your Hometown Events Coordinator AND newsletter correspondent is also the best Zumba instructor in SE Michigan, and teaches right here at Hometown!? Please VOTE FOR ‘ZUMBA WITH LESLIE BARRETT’, too!!! (She’s in the Fitness category, under Zumba!) Let’s rock this, Hometownies!
Visit Hometown at A Taste of Brighton TOMORROW & SATURDAY! July 12-13, 10 AM-10 PM
Hometown’s headed downtown for the annual A Taste of Brighton summer festival and we want to see you there! On Friday and Saturday, we’ll give festival-goers a flavor of what makes our shop and our sport so darn special. Our tent will be crankin’ with our Service Crew demo-ing what we’re famous for – the best bike repair in Southeast Michigan!
A Taste of Brighton is one of Michigan’s top-rated festivals. Highlighting the best of what Brighton has to offer, stop by for outdoor shopping, dining, entertainment and more along Brighton’s Main Street!
Tour de Livingston Kick Off Ride was an absolute BLAST!
Bright and early on Sunday, June 30th, the front lawn of the historic Howell Courthouse was overtaken with cycling enthusiasts. It was a beautiful day for the Tour de Livingston Kick Off Ride! In conjunction with the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest, riders enjoyed watching the balloons fly in as they completed 5, 10 or 25-mile loops.
Hometown is stoked to be the Bike Shop Sponsor for Tour de Livingston, to take place on Sunday, October 6, 2019. Rides of all ages and abilities can enjoy the gorgeous fall colors on this fully supported ride.
Proceeds from the event go to the Livingston County United Way to help our county’s most vulnerable with basic needs. Now in its 12th year, the Tour de Livingston, run by the Howell Rotary Club, has raised over $400,000 — amazing! We are so proud to be part of it! THANK YOU, HOWELL ROTARY CLUB for all you do!
Bicycles, Bicycles & more Bicycles PARADED down Main Street!
The Brighton Optimist Club and Hometown Bicycles made a red, white, blue and ORANGE splash at the 4th of July parade! It was a happy sight to see so many children and their parents decked out with their awesomely decorated bicycles riding down Main Street accompanied by Team Hometown members in their bright orange kits!
The mission of the Brighton Optimist Club is “Bringing out the best in children, our members, and the community” — and they did just that and more at this year’s parade. We had a fantastic turnout and great fun! Thank you to everyone who participated in the bike decorating contest and to those who rode, walked and rolled with us. See you next year!
Intro to Mountain Biking: Wednesday, July 17th from 6-8 PM
Island Lake Rec Area, Spring Mill Pond
Calling all beginners! Looking for a new biking experience that goes beyond paved paths? Maybe you are new to Mountain Biking and want to fine-tune your skills?
Join Island Lake Explorer Guide, Becca, and Hometown Bicycles to gain the basics of this exciting sport/recreation activity! This FREE event will focus on mountain biking parts, safety, and lingo and a guided ride. Please come prepared with helmet, closed-toed shoes and your own bike (nothing fancy, but knobby tires will be necessary). Ages 12 and up. All children under 18 must have an adult present.
Don’t have a bike? Inquire about Hometown’s Bike Rental program! We have a variety of bikes and sizes to meet your cycling needs.
FITNESS CLASSES AT HOMETOWN BICYCLES
Cardio Drumming | Wednesdays 6 PM and Saturdays 9:45 AM$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 and 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 and Sundays 10:30 AM $8 drop in or “10 classes for $50” punch card – With Tresa O’Rourke | Click to learn more
