By Camas Frank
So far the Grinch or grinches that tried to steal Christmas for the locally beloved Flanders Bicycle shop have gotten away with a lot.
On Dec. 6, thieves broke into the storerooms of the shop’s Santa Barbara Avenue warehouse and made off with two customer bicycles in for repairs, expensive laptops used for the business, a favorite guitar belonging to store owner Shawn Hafley, and cash while performing property destruction as they went.
What they couldn’t take – and frankly it could be giving to much credit to assume they tried – were the holiday spirit, nor the community spirit and bonds of friendship that Hafley, his family, and the store’s workers had garnered through the years.
Within a day local DJ Manuel Barba set up an $8,000 Go Fund Me page, “Friends of Flanders” to help, explaining, “If you know Shawn Hafley and have ever visited Flanders Bicycle, then you know first hand how important these two are to our beautiful home of SLO. Shawn Hafley is loved by many as someone who is committed to the idea of making this community stronger through his love of music, art, and biking.”
By the following weekend folks had pledged $6,094 towards the goal.
In the same timeframe Hayley Cain a SLO-based freelance writer focusing on the finer points of travel, food and local art pulled together a “Lovefest for Flanders” using Facebook to organize a Saturday benefit concert featuring live acts Shawn Clark and the Family Band and Mike Cross with Witchita Truckers, along with a Silent auction for items and good donated by local shops and artists.
Sally Loo’s Wholesome Cafe from just down the street donated snacks for the event and hot dogs were BBQed up on sale for lunch.
“What it was, was many talented people working together,” said Cain. “I know a lot of talented people that could be brought together by asking. Everyone had something to give.”
She joked with Darci Hafley that it was, “SLO’s version of a Little Drummer Boy story.”
Asked to say a few words at the microphone between bands Hafley didn’t have many aside from reflections of gratitude and appreciation, but he was a little choked up while standing back and surveying the tables of gifts up for silent auction and talking about his involvement with the standing under canopies on the misty Saturday afternoon.
“It’s been such a whirlwind since Wednesday,” said Shawn Hafley. “I’m overwhelmed right now. I’m a very private person…. I’m generous and I give a lot to others where I can. So it’s very different to be on the other side.”
The relative size of Flanders, with five people including Hafley and only one full time employee, means the margins between a good year and hard times is razor-thin. And 2016 was not on track to be a good year before the break in.
“We’re so small it did hurt us a lot,” said Hafley, noting the worst part was that the thieves targeted customized bikes belonging to his customers, as well wreaking havoc that he had to pay out of pocket to repair. “A $10,000 hit might not be as large to a company like Art’s [Cyclery] but the timing for us couldn’t have been worse.”
Customer support and engagement with every level of the cycling community is, after all, why they’ve got a five-star Yelp rating and a huge part of what brought out support, noted employee Scott Larson.
“The roll-up window right into the work area is perfect. People can always come and ask something or [talk shop],” he said. “Ask anyone from the [homeless] who ride everywhere in town to the [wealthy] hobbyist, they all come by because they know we’re here for them.”
“Shawn and the crew at Flanders have touched everyone’s lives in this community, added Cain. “There’s no way his friends and neighbors were going to let [burglars] steal Christmas.”
Flanders is still open normal hours Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. and
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at 1951 Santa Barbara Ave. in SLO. Call them at 439-2900
