Evolution of ReCycle shop: The Wichita Eagle story that changed BWW forever

If you walk into BWW’s ReCycle shop when it is open to the public, the first thing you will notice is that the shop is bustling with activity. Volunteers and residents occupy all 10 of the shop’s bike mechanic stations; all busy tightening screws, changing tires, securing brakes, and prepping bikes for a return to the road. 

From the parking lot there is a constant flow of traffic into the shop. Between residents dropping off bikes as donations and those inquiring about free or discounted bikes that BWW makes available to the public, the entrance is a revolving door. 

It’s hard to believe that ReCycle shop was not a well-thought-out plan by the volunteers who operate BWW. It just evolved.

It all began when BWW volunteer Alan Kailer started offering free bike repairs once a week from his blue Minivan in the parking lot of Open Door, a homeless outreach organization in downtown Wichita. It was an idea that someone threw out at one of BWW’s monthly meetings and Alan volunteered for the job. He wasn’t a bike mechanic, but he knew enough through personal experience working on his own bikes that he thought he could be of service. Once a week he set up shop and did what he could to help repair bikes. He had no idea what this work would create or what the future had in store for BWW.

While doing his early morning bike repairs, people would come by and ask if he had any free bikes, or if they could donate bikes. At that time, BWW only offered weekly bike repairs.

That all changed after the Wichita Eagle published a story in July 2015 about Kailer’s Wednesday morning bike repairs for the homeless.

“It all happened really fast,” Kailer said. “We began getting donated bikes and started fixing them up for people in need.”

Bike donation offers began flowing in. The circus was in town and offered free tickets for bike donations to BWW. 40 bikes were donated from the promotion, but BWW at that time operated from random downtown businesses like The Anchor or Meade’s Corner, and did not have a physical location. After putting out a call to action on Facebook about the need for space to store the donated bikes, a storage locker was donated. Donations kept coming, with offers from organizations such as United Way, His Helping Hands, and Goodwill Industries all offering BWW bikes to repair and give to those in need.

“And that is how BWW got into a building,” Kailer said. Through donations, BWW was able to rent a small office space at its current location, 131 S. Laura.

Bike donations weren’t the only thing that came from the Wichita Eagle article. Bike people started showing up to help too. People like California Carey (Hobart), Detroit Cody (Renehan), Geoff Kisch, and a few others read Kailer’s story in the newspaper and offered to help. Many from the group had lived in other cities with bike clubs. They had mechanical skills, a love for bicycles, and were passionate about helping those in need.

“I found Alan through the Eagle article,” BWW volunteer and ReCycle coordinator, Carey Hobart, said. “I had just moved here from California. I didn’t know anybody yet but I wanted to help. I’ve been working here ever since.”

Through this collaboration ReCycle shop was created, but it was far from the sprawling shop it is today. It consisted of a few tools, some bike parts, and the dedication of a few individuals. Operating out of a small office at the time, the group improvised to find a system.

“We began doing repairs in the lobby of the building and in the alley out back,” Kailer said.

A rolling bike mechanic station was created so it could be rolled around to whatever space bike repairs could be made. BWW started offering free bikes to kids and adults in need through the donations. 

Gradually BWW rented additional space to store donated bikes, tools, and parts. That growth hasn’t stopped. The shop that began with a hallway, a rolling mechanic station, and 6 volunteers, now includes 10 workstations, storage rooms and a retail store. More than 200 volunteers repaired bikes in ReCycle shop during 2020. 

“Our progression has happened so quickly,” Kailer said. “And it keeps going.”

BWW’s work in ReCycle shop has grown beyond just repairing bikes. It offers free space where individuals can make bike repairs, including tools and mentors who teach. It offers free bikes to kids and those in need. Licensed certified instructors teach safety skills and host Bike Jams in neighborhoods to teach kids how to ride bikes.

As the shop progressed, volunteers created ideas that solved problems within the community. Volunteers who were experiencing homelessness came up with the concept of a non-cash economy for ReCycle shop, exchanging volunteer hours for bikes and parts. The concept was a win-win, keeping money from being a barrier to bike ownership while also providing BWW with volunteers who learned how to repair and maintain bikes.

“I always tell people we couldn’t have planned it,” Kim Neufeld, BWW Executive Director, said. “We couldn’t have sat down and developed this organization on a piece of paper. It organically evolved into what it is today.”

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the need for BWW services, while its volunteer base shrunk due to safety concerns. Demand is greater than it’s ever been, and once again ReCycle shop is operating from a cramped space.

“We really need to grow the organization with paid staff and move into a bigger space in order to offer more services,” Hobart said. “Our biggest challenge is having someone to coordinate and manage the shop. We’re all volunteers, many who have other jobs. That limits what we can do.”

BWW’s Build-A-Bike program geared towards teens is currently put on hold due to staffing issues, Hobart said. The group wants to start a youth outreach program focusing on older teens and host educational workshops around safety, but the challenge is staff and funding.

Neufeld said that is a big part of why BWW has launched its Capital Campaign this year for a new, larger headquarters. 

“The organization needs to grow,” Neufeld said. “Purchasing our own building, throwing down permanent roots in Wichita, and having the space to expand our programs and services will open us up to more grant opportunities and ensure BWW services are here in Wichita for the next generation. We’ve launched the first mile of this journey, and we’re confident the community will come through as it always has.”

The goal of the Capital Campaign is to raise $400,000 in the next three years for a new building that will expand its ReCycle shop space, expand services and staffing, and create a community space for events and community outreach.

For now, BWW ReCycle shop will continue to operate and improvise in its current space. However crowded, it’s come a long way from a one-man show in a blue Minivan.

Do you love the work that BWW and ReCycle shop do in the ICT community? Click the link to make a donation today to help expand the ReCycle Shop and services at www.bikewalkwichita.org/capital-campaign.