Re: [CR] Juner bike shop

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Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:38:44 -0400
From: "James Swan" <jswan@optonline.net>
In-Reply-To: <8CBEA92599ED30E-A7C-1859@WEBMAIL-DF02.sysops.aol.com>
To: <oroboyz@aol.com>
References: <8CBEA92599ED30E-A7C-1859@WEBMAIL-DF02.sysops.aol.com>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Juner bike shop


>
>
> Thanks Joe:
>
> While we are talking about legendary bike shops, do you know the
> story of this "East coast" Juner shop? I had heard that they were a
> major importer of Hetchins in it's hey day.. I also heard that this
> shop was boarded up for years with treasure locked inside? Anyone
> know the truth?
>
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> Dale
>
>
> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>
>

I can't confirm that story and I don't have a lot to add... The Juner brothers were both riders with the club that I spent most of my racing years with (the German Bicycle Sport Club), although they were from an earlier era. Some of the old timers used to talk about Adolph's shop. I was never there but I know that it was in the basement of his house. I'm under the impression that he had a day job as well as running the shop. He didn't do any neighborhood bike repairs. It was strictly a pro shop for the racing community. The shop was described as being immaculate, and Adolph did everything with extreme precision. He was well respected for his ability set up riders' positions; which is something that is all the rage these days but generally done in a pretty cavalier manor back then.

The location of Juner's place was City Island in the Bronx. Even today City Island is a very strangle little enclave. It is a tiny little spit of land that is separated from the main land by a little creek. The place feels like an old New England fishing village but it is very close to the center of New York City. Most of what goes on there revolves around the maritime environment. Apparently Juner was involved in fixing boats. That is a normal enough thing to be doing in that neighborhood. It's the bike stuff that was out of step.

Jamie Swan
Northport, NY, USA
http://www.jamieswan.net