Tucked away on the east side of Lake Merritt is a little shop that you wish you had stumbled upon on accident. It’s one of those gems you find and then can’t believe everyone you like isn’t hanging out there all the time.

Homespun Bikes, approaching its one year anniversary, focuses on things that many of us love: bicycles, sustainable living, local artists, coffee and urban farming.

Shop owner Ami Puri, prioritizes making the space highly inclusive for women, trans and queer people who sometimes have not felt comfortable in traditional bike shops. One of the many ways Puri achieves this goal is by offering “collaborative repair” where people can “watch, listen and participate in the repair of their own bike” as well as more options on the way for people to work on their own bikes while surrounded by native plants, cute urban farm rabbits and neighborhood regulars. 

Homespun offers many opportunities to learn about things and gain new skills relating to its mission. Recent classes have included worm composting, kombucha and beer brewing, vegan cooking, backyard gardening, various bike maintenance classes, herbalism and more, typically made available for free or on a sliding-scale basis. Local guest presenters and educators share their skills monthly, further building community partnerships encouraging on-going collaboration.

Another aspect of Homespun is its new partnership with Danny Gutierrez, owner of Engage Coffee. Gutierrez, a coffee consultant, brewer and roaster, focuses on building community primarily through coffee education. He offers many services for people to learn about everything from the history of coffee to do-it-yourself steps in the roasting process to home brewing tips.

Starting at 7 a.m., Tuesday through Saturday, Gutierrez makes himself available at Homespun to anyone interested in talking and learning about all aspects of coffee, while also offering individually-brewed cups, as well as his small-batch, personalized-to-your-preference roasted coffee beans to take home. In the spirit of conservation and stewardship, he encourages people to bring their own mugs, and it also should be known that your coffee will be served without any additives, including milk or sugar. Self-described as “vegan powered,” you are in for a unique and educational coffee experience with Engage Coffee while early-morning albums spin on the shop’s record player.

Homespun Bikes

494 Wesley Ave. Oakland, CA 94606
(510)893-3740
homespunbikes@gmail.com
homespunbikes.com

Engage Coffee

(916)548-0945
engagecoffe.com