Longtime Aurora bicycle nonprofit forced to find new shop again
A bike shop that gives away bicycles to people who need them is being forced out of its shop again.
Second Chance Bicycles has been serving the Aurora community for two decades by fixing up old bikes and giving them away to kids and adults who need reliable transportation.
Four years ago, the building that housed the nonprofit was being redeveloped. Ernest Clark is a retired police officer and the owner of Second Chance Bicycles and had to find a new place to do business.
"It's not just us moving. Everybody has to move out of here," he told CBS4 at the time.
The future seemed uncertain, but he worked with the City of Aurora and found a new space off Parker Road.
Now, history is repeating itself. Half of the strip mall he is currently located in is being demolished to build apartments.
"They're talking about 400 units," Ernest said. "And we have to go."
He says, once again, the City of Aurora and the incoming developer are helping him look for a space, but the move has already affected his work. He won't be able to give out bikes for Christmas, which is the busiest time of the year.
"This past Christmas was 450 bikes. The year before that was 600. The year before that was 900, and then, the first year we were in here, it was 1,200 bikes," Ernest said.
He's willing to keep giving away bikes, but he needs a new space.
"The city got us in here for with a tax write off for the owners, but we can get somebody that can do that. That will be great. That would help us a lot," he said.
All of this moving has taken a toll. Ernest says, even if he finds a place, this move will be Second Chance's last chance.
"This will be our last time moving because it's getting too much for us," Ernest said.
Ernest says he needs a big place, ideally an old grocery store, but he is open to exploring smaller options if necessary.
