Does anyone know if there are bike racks at the Port Richmond shopping center? If so, where are they? If not, how do we go about convincing management/the owners to install a few (say in one of the car spots)?

Locking up at the Thriftway is getting old -- there's always seems to be someone who wants me to move my bike. I don't blame them; in order to lock up, you have to block access to the store (to an extent).

I hear ya. there isn't much i wouldn't do to get a bike rack over there.

About a year ago, I actually went to the Thriftway corporate HQ website, and wrote a letter requesting one. As you can see, My voice carries a lot of weight around here.

I would love it if you, or anyone else wanted to write also.

you can do so here

http://www.thriftwayshopnbag.com/contact.asp

perhaps an additional way to make ourselves heard might be to contact the owner of the shopping center itself. Does anyone know who owns the ground, and the parking lot? perhaps those ears would be more sympathetic.

I was also thinking of contacting the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and see what they have to say.

This is a great idea...

Info about getting a bike rack permit is at http://bcgp.blogspot.com/2007/09/get...t-of-your.html.

Of course, we'd need Thriftway's permission to put in a bike rack before getting a permit...

Also, the NKCDC had an "Art Racks" program (see http://www.nkcdc.org/content.asp?cat...CTS_AND_EVENTS). I wonder if they could help somehow?

I'll send Thriftway an email, but I'm happy to help with other efforts to get a bike rack there if people have ideas.

I sent an email to the Thriftway website and was told that it would be passed on to the management of that specific store. I have a suspicion that the owners of the shopping center would have to be the ones to install the rack(s). Thanks for the info., eep!

Great idea. Keep us posted on anything we can do to help.

I have to say that as much as those racks by the Thriftway are in convenient (and obviously too few), it was the ONE time that I didn't use the racks that I had a mishap. After picking up some groceries, I rode across the lot to Ho Sai Gai for a quick din. I locked up on a pole by the laundromat across the way. Came out to a missing saddle!

Two lessons learned:
1. If you can, keep your eye on your bike. (That is, don't sit with your back to the window. Duh!)
2. Cable your saddle to your bike. (I visited Jay's the following day. At least it's a deterrent.