05/31/2026
Reflections on May, National Bike Month, and the last 7 years…
A firefighter-turned-minister, his adoring wife, and their atheist neighbor walk into a bar. I know it sounds like a bad joke. However, the presence of these unlikely partners stepping toward the people, both physically and spiritually, was the very humble beginnings of The Bike Shop.
A lifestyle of sacrifice in close proximity to those served allowed The Bike Shop to grow and stabilize. Upon Duane’s retirement, the Crabbs' children professed - we grew up poor, shopped at Goodwill, and stood in line, with our neighbors, for assistance, food, and toiletries. But we hurt for nothing of value. One by one, the Crabbs’ children thanked their parents for teaching them to sacrifice for others' sake.
The Crabbs Family and South Street Ministries were held in high esteem during my family's tour of Archbishop Hoban High School. Our daughter Lilly would soon enroll at Hoban and later graduate. (Someday, my wife and I, both St. VM class of ‘00’, will forgive our child for this heinous betrayal in the meantime - GO IRISH!)
However, that connection is what brought us to South Street Ministries.
We found The Bike Shop tucked away in the garage at Duane and Lisa’s home at 130 W. South Street, and fell in love with the people, mission, and endless possibilities…
For seven years, my wife Molly, my daughter Lilly, and I have been building bikes and relationships at and through The Bike Shop. To this day, however, we still get asked, “What are you doing?” And the answer is usually convoluted at best. Today, however, the answer is clear.
At The Bike Shop, we are building a community of unlikely partners who are willing to sacrifice for others' sake. We are stepping toward a need and empowering those in need to step toward a true transformational change. We are loving our neighbors and allowing them to love us in return.
A tall, deeply rooted oak tree provides shade over the driveway at 130 W. South Street. The roots criss-cross the yard and have created buckles in the pavement. Its branches are long, twisted, and reach for the heavens. And in the fall, hundreds of acorns drop from the ends of the limbs to the ground below, only to be scattered by the wind, animals, mowers, and children.
This tree is deeply symbolic of The Bike Shop & its community. Deeply rooted in legacy, heritage, and tradition. Rapidly expanding beyond just bikes, growing and reaching far beyond S. Akron & Summit Lake. Distributing 100’s of bikes per season and completing just as many repairs and covering just as many miles on two wheels.
If done right, each interaction creates a small ripple of transformational change - nothing profound, just a whole lotta love.
Chris Usner - Bike Shop, Director.
