Community raising support for Aurora bike shop after multiple break-ins

When Aurora comes to mind, many people may not think of cycling, but the city actually has a great bike infrastructure with hundreds of miles of bike trails. What they don't have are many local shops to fix up or tune up a bike when needed.

There are only a handful of bike shops in the city, and it may lose another soon. Hardt Family Cyclery at 10255 E 25th Ave in Aurora may have to close due to struggles with online competition, bureaucracy, and repeated break-ins.

On Friday, a young family stopped by the shop looking for a minor repair on a child's bike. It's moments like this that inspired Mackenzie Hardt to open his business six years ago. Hardt says he's happy to help them.

"My primary customers are families," said Hardt. "I'm more of a local bike shop in my neighborhood that caters to the needs of my friends and family, which are not the most spandex of your cyclists. We are about fun," said Hardt.

But the community he loves so much may soon be without his services. Running a bike shop is hard these days. Part of the reason is that people are buying cheaply made e-bikes online. He can't sell them and can't fix them when they break.

It has also been a challenge trying to recoup money from the state's e-bike rebate program, which he says has left him without tens of thousands of dollars. Hardt says the state has been slow to repay him.

He has seen a rash of break-ins and robberies. In two years, the shop has been burglarized or robbed nine times.

"It's the culmination of all that that has us feeling how we do right now, which is strapped for cash. But most importantly, [it's] just really difficult mentally and emotionally to show up every day," said Hardt.

Corey Maillette is a customer and neighbor of Hardt Family Cyclery. He thinks they are one of the best parts about living in northwest Aurora. That's why he decided to step in and try to help.

He is holding an online fundraiser for them and organizing a cookout to raise even more funds so they can keep their doors open. He says that without the shop, the people in northwest Aurora would suffer.

"A lot of people that rely on him would have to go elsewhere. And in the local community, it might be hard, and they might have to go much further away," said Maillette.

Like the family who rode over on Friday afternoon. The small fix they needed was free and quick. Hardt says it feels great that the community has his back the way he has theirs.

"Being a part of that sense of community has been really fun," said Hardt.

The cookout to support Hardt Family Cyclery will be on April 19th at 10255 E 25th Ave in Aurora.