“The best thing is that there is a new location at all.” Jakob Küppers, employee of “Fahrrad R 18”, has finally found new premises with his whole team after years of worrying and is relieved accordingly. For the next ten years, the future of the bicycle workshop in the extreme Allach is initially secured, but an extension of the rental contract is already expected.
“Employees” are young people who the Evangelische Jugend München wants to qualify for further training or a job in their job-related youth welfare project.
The R 18 team has been preparing for the opening ceremony for a long time in the presence of Mayor Verena Dietl (SPD). But even if everything is now shiny, the move did not go entirely smoothly. For example, the cash register is not (yet) in the right place. In addition, on the day of the handover, contrary to what was agreed, craftsmen are still on site. Nevertheless, one is “absolutely happy with the building”.
In addition to the location and the name, a few things have changed: the sales room is now larger, the upcycled used bikes can be distinguished from the new bikes by a green label on the label, and there is new, more modern equipment in the workshop: at a total of twelve workstations the bikes can now be raised and lowered with the help of electric assembly stands. This should also make it easier for new employees to get started.
The team at the bicycle repair shop wants to close a gap in the market
The employees of the bicycle workshop hope that the new location will close a gap in the market. Compared to the previous domicile in the more central Milbertshofen, they also expect to sell more sports bikes.
Some employees have already spoken to the neighbors. Everyone seems to be welcoming the opening of the workshop. However, fewer customers are likely to find their way to the more remote address than in the center of Milbertshofen. In order to pay the rent, which is also about twice as high as before, one had to rely on donations and an increase in municipal funding. Also the “Advent calendar for good works of the Süddeutsche Zeitung” has supported bike R18.