Why doesn't Chicago have a nationally distributed messenger bag company?

If one sign of a great cycling city is a booming bicycle-related economy, why hasn't
Chicago's terrific bike scene led to an abundance of successful, locally-owned bike accessory businesses? Although Chicago WIG and Steadfast Bags do great work, these are mom-and-pop operations that don't distribute their products nationally. If they're interested in doing so, what would it take for them to hit the big time?

I'll be contacting WIG and Steadfast soon for their perspectives, but for starters I called Tianna Meilinger of New York's Vaya Bags to the story of how she turned her one-woman business into a global brand: http://gridchicago.com

Keep moving forward,

John Greenfield

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Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on December 8, 2011 at 3:37pm

Brendan, I think a lot of people feel that way, including me. My shoulder hurt wicked bad after a week of commuting with a messenger bag full of stuff. I honestly think it's only good for carrying random little things.

Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on December 8, 2011 at 4:37pm