Day 72: Bad Monkey – Bikes Board & Skate

Day 72 of 365…

I really love doing this “365 Things” project here in Vancouver. I get to discover some really cool places and some awesome new people. People I wouldn’t have necessarily met. I want to encourage everyone to really start thinking about our local businesses and the owners of them. You don’t have to do something like this to go meet them. Just walk in and say hi. You never know who’s on the other side of the counter.

Walking into Bad Monkey downtown Vancouver was just such an experience for me. I met Andrew within a couple minutes of going in the door. Come to find out, he’s one of the owners of this great bike, board and skate shop. We began to visit and share about his business. He told me about how it started, where the name came from and all the great services they offer. It is run by him and co-owner Wade. Apparently Wade used to be a competitive mountain bike rider (the crazy kind racing down perilous terrain at break neck speeds). Andrew was the skateboarder. By mixing their two passions together they’ve created a great niche shop.

In addition to all the new gear and supplies they carry they are also a full bike repair shop. Mike is a 20 year Master Bike Mechanic who can handle all your needs. So, if you’re looking for a fix on your existing bike you might check them out. They also consign bikes in this store.

Remember a few days ago I discovered Disc Golf at Leverich Park? Well, they carry a full supply of discs and bags for this game and also sponsor an event at Leverich Park each year. I’ll be looking forward to attending that.

By taking the time to visit with Andrew and Wade I was also able to learn that they have a Slot Car Racing club that meets on Saturdays in their basement. They have a 100’ long track that is a scaled ¼ mile drag strip. This thing is the real deal. Andrew was telling me that some cars will reach speeds of almost 80 mph! Dang! That’s fast.

Bad Monkey is located downtown on the corner of Broadway and McLoughlin and can be reached at 360-718-7837. They are also on Facebook and I’d recommend you become a fan. This shop rocks.