bike parking hall of fame/hall of shame (was bike parking at stores, libraries and other major destinations)

I previously started this topic with a slightly different focus.  I'd like to keep the info we've already gathered and encourage you all to add more.  The goal is to collect data for a project I'm pursuing with a few folks to improve bike parking in the city.

Please post comments about Chicago businesses whose bike parking is either good (to say thanks) or needs improvement.  Include identifying information - name of business, address, and what is good or not so good about their bike parking. 

Photos are useful if you can get 'em.  If you have multiple businesses you'd like to mention, feel free.  They can be big chains (Jewel, Dominick's, Walgreens, Home Depot, etc.), franchises (hardware or fast food stores, for examples), or independent businesses.

If you talk to a store manager about the issue, tell us if you got any positive results.

Thanks for all your info!  It would be great if we can get better bike parking at the majority of stores and restaurants in bike-accessible locations in the next few years.  Your info can help make that possible.

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I've had an ongoing discussion with a few people about the lack of good bike parking at most grocery stores, drug stores, etc. 

County Fair (a family-owned independent) at 108th & Western has city racks out front.  Riding there to shop is a piece of cake.

Jewel and Dominick's stores typically have no racks at all or one rack installed so close to a wall that it can only be used by a few bikes, or one rack in a location where it's always surrounded by shopping carts - not bike friendly.  Walgreens stores near me have wheel bender racks similar to this. 

The nearest CVS has a city rack out front near the door, which is well used, but the one on their own property is so far from the flow of traffic and installed so close to the wall that it's never used. 


There's a new public library on 95th St. that opened less than a year ago.  It has a 10-bike rack near the front door.  Guess what?  It's installed so close to the wall nothing with wheels larger than 20" can be secured to it with a U-lock.  It usually has no more than 2 bikes locked to it, then people start locking to the nearby benches and fence. 


Meanwhile, another perfectly good 10-bike rack goes unused, because it's tucked away in the corner of the parking lot, out of sight from where most cyclists approach the library.


Which grocery store, pharmacy and library are your usual stops?  Do they have good bike parking?  Tell us about what's good or bad about the bike parking at these places or other frequent destinations.  Curious minds want to know.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 19, 2010 at 8:26am
Bravo! You're welcome to re-post anything I've previously mentioned here, which is mostly south side.

samantha said:
Well my friends, I have launched my own Bike Parking Hall of Shame on my Chicago Biking Blog. My goal is one post every Friday. If you've got photo's and locations send 'em to me at ddlr at dingdingletsride dot com. If you don't mind me re-posting any of your mentions here, let me know. I'm going to keep my focus on Chicago locales...and yeah, I'm focusing on the 'shame' part not the 'fame' part. ;-) Thanks!
Here's the link to my first entry: http://dingdingletsride.com/2010/11/19/bike-parking-hall-of-shame-a...
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on November 20, 2010 at 4:33am
Bravo!

Bookmarked and added to my daily "open all in tabs" morning wake-up folder

samantha said:
Well my friends, I have launched my own Bike Parking Hall of Shame on my Chicago Biking Blog. My goal is one post every Friday. If you've got photo's and locations send 'em to me at ddlr at dingdingletsride dot com. If you don't mind me re-posting any of your mentions here, let me know. I'm going to keep my focus on Chicago locales...and yeah, I'm focusing on the 'shame' part not the 'fame' part. ;-) Thanks!
Here's the link to my first entry: http://dingdingletsride.com/2010/11/19/bike-parking-hall-of-shame-a...
Permalink Reply by samantha on November 22, 2010 at 5:31pm
Thanks Ann! I've got your CVS picture queued up for this coming Friday's entry!
Permalink Reply by samantha on November 22, 2010 at 5:32pm
Thanks James!
Permalink Reply by igz on June 25, 2011 at 4:01pm
Best I can upload from my mobile device...this was at home depot on north ave. This pic will also apply in the bike 'un'friendly thread.

I find incredibly irony that the wheel barrels are branded 'true temper'.
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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 26, 2011 at 12:51am
The Elston store is just as bad.  I prefer to go to Menards anyhow.  The one on Clyborn & Wrightwood has a rack but is a 1970's relic that is always so packed with employee bikes that it's nearly impossible to find a spot for a customer.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 26, 2011 at 7:55am

Like you Howard, I don't go to Home Despot more than a couple times a year -even though the Elston store is closer to me and would avoid a river rossing at Diversy or Damon to get to Menards on Clyborn.  Neither of these routes are good.  Damon is way out of my way and I really dislike the Diversey bridge.

 

But even so I still do it to get to Menards because I hate Home Despot because they are too expensive and don't have all the stuff I am looking for.  I also EXTREMELY DISLIKE the automated self-checkout lanes at Despot and the ringing alarms that are constantly going off every 5-10 seconds at the door and  hurting my ears.  I dislike loud noises like many people with hearing damage do.

 

So even if they fixed their bike parking issue I wouldn't go there.  There is one more reason to go to Menards:  they have my mistress there -Little Debbie.  I just can't resist visiting Little Debbie's swiss rolls or nutty buddy when I stop by Menards.  I probably hit Menards 1-2 times a week if not more.  When I'm knee deep into a project I can go there multiple times a day. 

 

I'm not a customer of Home Despot unless Menards doesn't have something I really need.  And if I do go to one I often go to the one on Kedzie and stop by White Castle for a slider.  (seeing a pattern here?)

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 26, 2011 at 12:38pm

The loud noises at Home Despot are annoying even if one doesn't have hearing damage.  I feel fortunate to have a few local hardware stores in bike friendly locations that have decent product selection and much better customer service than the big box store, so they get more of my business when I'm looking for products they've got in stock. 

 

Bonus - one of those local hardware stores is a great source for obscure hardware items and old timey stuff (glass fuses, etc.) that you just can't find at the big box stores, and there's a city bike rack out front.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 26, 2011 at 4:14pm
I like the Ace on Milwaukee next to The Bike Lane across from The Congress.  But he doesn't carry Little Debbie products.   Menards also has a really good prices on nuts in the BIG canisters.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 30, 2011 at 2:52pm

After months of upgrading, including a new parking lot, the Jewel on Clark and Ashland finally installed a bike rack yesterday. A fine example of a bad rack:Yes, that is a wheel bender rack hidden behind the shopping carts

 

All the more sad, because on the same day a new bike rack got installed at the soon to open Walgreens across the street:A wave rack, with plenty of room, right in front of the entrance.

 

Walgreens 1. Jewel 0.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on August 31, 2011 at 2:35am
Nice set of contrasts, Duppie.  This should be seen by Jewel's architectural/construction department for them to consider.  Awkward rack type (really only two bikes--one off each end--could be properly locked to it, any more bikes would have to be badly locked in the middle of the rack just to the front wheel, or thrown over the top of it).  Awkwardly placed--WAY too close to the fence to be used, WAY too exposed to being bashed by runaway carts, needs a guard rail to protect it from carts.  If I used this store, I'd be tempted to lock to the fence behind the bike rack, and use the bike rack as a protection barrier from carts.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 31, 2011 at 3:27am
I agree.  Thanks for adding these examples, Duppie.

Thunder Snow said:
Nice set of contrasts, Duppie.  This should be seen by Jewel's architectural/construction department for them to consider.  Awkward rack type (really only two bikes--one off each end--could be properly locked to it, any more bikes would have to be badly locked in the middle of the rack just to the front wheel, or thrown over the top of it).  Awkwardly placed--WAY too close to the fence to be used, WAY too exposed to being bashed by runaway carts, needs a guard rail to protect it from carts.  If I used this store, I'd be tempted to lock to the fence behind the bike rack, and use the bike rack as a protection barrier from carts.

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