Columbia bicycle nonprofit says it needs help to keep its shop open

A prominent Columbia bicycle shop is asking for help to stay in its current location.

Cola Town Bike Collective posted on Facebook Friday that their building on Elmwood Avenue near Interstate 126 is in danger of being sold out from under them.

“We were recently informed that our landlord is looking to sell the building we’ve called our home for almost half a decade,” the Collective wrote on the shop’s Facebook page. “Our shop is central to the large number of people in our community that we serve. Over 90% of our clients are referred from services within 1.5 miles of our location. We can be most impactful where the need is. Which is why we are launching a fundraising campaign to raise money to purchase our building, get necessary repairs completed, and #SaveOurShop.”

The Bike Collective is a non-profit that uses its space at 711 Elmwood to offer a full service bike shop, we provide tune-ups, wheel truing, hydraulic service and custom build projects. It also allows members of the community to use the building and the Collective’s tools for their own projects, according to the bike shop’s website.

As of early Friday afternoon, the Bike Collective’s fundraising campaign has raised about $2,400 of the $35,000 being sought to purchase the Elmwood Avenue building.