The “most bike-friendly city in America” just lost a core member of its team as City Grounds confirmed today that its retail store in downtown Long Beach has closed its doors.

It was out of that store, on 435 East 1st Street, that City Grounds officially started its business in 2008, said its founder Paul Ku.

It quickly became a known spot to not only purchase bicycles, apparel and accessories, but to hang out with a facet of the local cycling community. It even won Long Beach Post’s “Best of Long Beach” series in the Best Bike Shop category in 2012. 

“Our business was born out of that location but throughout the past nine years the actual brick and mortar retail aspect has been more and more difficult [to sustain],” Ku told the Post. “I think mainly due to the online aspect and how consumers are shopping nowadays has been across all trends, whether it’s clothing or bikes or TVs.”

Ku said the shop’s last day officially was Saturday, September 30.

A retail shop located in Costa Mesa previously closed in 2011.

The company’s warehouse in Huntington Beach will still be available for those who order online and want to pick up their products. 

While there are no plans to relocate, if it becomes possible in the next couple of years Ku said Long Beach would be his top pick to re-establish a location.

“That’s where we started and it has such a strong cycling community that we’d love to support it,” Ku said. “The community has been [supportive], not only the customers, but the neighboring businesses and the city has hosted so many events for us. We love the city it’s just hard to sustain the retail side.”

Above, left: file photo.