Essential Business: Pete's Garage

Pete's Garage, Broadway's bike shop, stays open amidst pandemic to support bikers and wheelchair-bound community members.

HERE'S NBC 26'SRACHEL HOPMAYER.AS WISCONSINITESBEAR DOWN INSOCIAL ISOLATION,MANY BUSINESSESARE CLOSED FOR THEFORSEEABLE FUTURE.NOT BIKE SHOPS,HOWEVER..."We're very fortunate thatas a bike shop, we're stillconsidered essential tothe transportation andinfrastructure.

People stillneed to get on their bikesand get around"PETE'S GARAGE HASBEEN IN THEBROADWAY DISTRICTSINCE 2016.

OWNERKURT SZWEEZOWKNOWS THEY HAVE ALOT OFRESPONSIBILITY ONTHEIR HANDSREMAINING OPEN ASAN ESSENTIALBUSINESS WHILECORONAVIRUSPERMEATES THEBADGER STATE."We've had to really lookat this, kind of understandthe virus transmission andchange the day-to-dayoperations to make surethat we keep ourselvessafe, and keep thecustomers safe..."RACHEL: Pete's garagealso provides an essentialservice that many don'tthink of when consideringbike shops: wheelchairrepairs.THEY'RE OPEN BUTNOT ALLOWINGCUSTOMERS TOBROWSE AT THIS TIME,AND DOING AS MUCHOVER THE PHONE ORBY APPOINTMENT ASPOSSIBLE."When the customercomes in with their bike,we take the bike, werecieve it with glovedhands, sanitize the bike -the high touch surfaces,seats, handlebars, thingslike that - and then also,when the customerleaves, we make sure thatdoor handles, point ofsales surfaces,countertops, are beingsanitized"PETE'S GARAGE ISTAKING AS MANYREPAIRS AS POSSIBLEWITH THEIR MOBILESERVICING VANTHAT'S STATIONEDAROUND THE METROAREA, AND COMES TOYOURNEIGHBORHOOD BYREQUEST.

RACHELHOPMAYER, NBC 26.LIGHTHOUSECHRISTIAN BOOKS