Hearns Bicycle Shop In Asheville?

[Orson]

Last time I was in downtown Asheville, the Hearns bicycle shop was closed.

Did they move or did they go out of business?

[TriumphTiger1050]

Not sure Orson.  I bought a bike from them 10 years ago and have not been back since.  I assume if a internet search produces nothing or just the old location then I suspect OOB!

If your looking for a great place to purchase a mtn. bike or even a roadie I now use Carolina Fatz on Brevard Rd.  The owner Jason is a hoot to deal with!

[TriumphTiger1050]

Here is what a internet search provided for me and they are no longer in the heart of downtown:

28 Asheland Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 253-4800

[nantahala]

Wow!  Kinda funny you bring this up as I live in Fred Hearn's (old) house...  There is some bike-related stuff still in the basement.

http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/VOA/D_H/Hearn_F.html

Another family member involved in the historic bike shop lived in the neighborhood and they also ran Hearn's Locksmith, which is still around.  I'm not sure if the bike shop closed after they moved...

[Orson]

ahhh

they advertised as being around since 1898 so, I was surprised when I saw the store shuttered.

[nantahala]

Yeah, we bought this house from an architect that had an office next door to the shop on Broadway.  He bought the house from the family after Fred became too old to live here by himself.  I would stop by the shop when I visited my architect friend and it was really neat.

The locksmith shop was over on Coxe or Asheland Ave before moving out to West Asheville.  We buy locks for work from there.  I'm just not sure what happened to the bike shop...  It was in the Windsor Hotel building on Broadway which has floundered with several developers trying to gut the building and turn it into condos, etc.  I'm pretty sure the building is bank-owned now (the last developer which had this property and at least one more went bankrupt) and the whole thing has been vacant for a while.

[nantahala]

I happened to go by Hearns Locksmith shop today and asked about the bike shop.  Apparently when Fred sold the bike and locksmith shop in the late '80s (I think that's what he said), the new owner split up the businesses and sold them both.  Neither shop is associated with the Hearns anymore but carried on the name.  The bike shop is still in business on Asheland Ave according to the locksmith.

[Orson]

Thanks!