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A Combination Record Store and Bike Shop Is Opening in Adams Morgan

Two former pop-ups are joining forces in the old City Bikes DC space.

Two new storefronts just opened at the former longtime home of DC City Bikes (2501 Champlain St., NW). Photograph by Omega Ilijevich.

Tiny Vinyl Shop & Upshift Workshop, 2501 Champlain St., NW

Bike shop Upshift Workshop and record seller Tiny Vinyl Shop have floated around town as pop-ups, but they will share a permanent home together in Adams Morgan, offering vinyl and bikes under one roof. The stores are opening on Friday, July 19 in the former City Bikes DC space.

Upshift owner Leah Fantle and Tiny Vinyl shop owner Ty Cumbie met through mutual friends. Fantle had been looking for a brick-and-mortar location for her mobile bike repair and education service. When the Adams Morgan storefront went on sale just under two months ago, she jumped at the chance. Meanwhile, Ty Cumbie, who has been selling a curated collection of records in DC for over five years, was also interested in the property. Once they were introduced to each other, it seemed like a fitting partnership. 

“I think there’s a lot of ‘hipsters’ in this area who are interested in both cycling and records,” says Fantle. “The thing about bike repairs is that folks are often left here waiting, so I think they’ll be thankful to have some records to dig through.” 

Leah Fantle is the owner of “Upshift Workshop.” Photograph by Omega Ilijevich.

On one side of the store, patrons can peruse vintage music selections from across the decades, along with specialty merch and upcycled home-goods. On the other side, they can sign up for cycling lessons, pick up replacement parts, or drop off a bike for repairs. A makeshift metal barrier divides the two sides while leaving a walkway in between, and there are separate entrances on opposite sides of the space. The stores also share an educational mission, hoping people come in not just to shop but also to learn more about their record players or bicycles. 

“I’ve known lots of people, especially women, who’ve had poor experiences in bicycle stores, because they felt condescended to or disrespected. I think the same can be true for records or other niche interests,” says Fantle. “We both share a goal of breaking those barriers down and making these things feel accessible to folks.”

Ty Cumbie is the owner of “Tiny Vinyl Shop”. Photograph by Omega Ilijevich.

Fantle notes that there’s been excitement from neighborhood cyclists about carrying on the torch of bicycle services at the address where City Bikes DC operated for decades.

“While I was still putting up shelves in here, I had people knocking on the door telling me that their bicycle has been sitting broken at home and they can’t wait to bring it in.”

The permanent headquarters also give Cumbie and Fantle an opportunity to host community events, starting with a party celebrating the opening on Friday. From 6 PM to 8 PM, bring your own drink to enjoy live jazz and bike maintenance demonstrations. 

Upshift Workshop is open 11 AM-7 PM on and 11 AM-4 PM on weekends. Mondays and Wednesdays are reserved for private lessons and workshops. Tiny Vinyl Shop is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 PM to 7 PM. Store hours are subject to change based on customer demand. 

Omega Ilijevich
Editorial Fellow