WICHITA — Lee Engler has been a bike fanatic for a long time, and now he’s making his hobby his business.
Engler, a former landscape architect for WDM Architects, is opening Lee’s Bike Shop at 135th West and Maple.
That’s at Auburn Pointe, an Occidental Management property.
“It’s a really good location because of the neighborhood that’s there,” Engler says.
It’s also close to a lot of bike paths, he says.
Plus, Engler says, there’s not another specialty bike shop west of Interstate 235.
Engler also likes Auburn Pointe’s large parking lot and location as a good meeting point for bikers heading on west-side rides.
Lee’s will sell a variety of bikes, accessories and clothing. It also will have a full-service shop.
“I’m going to have a quite a few bikes,” Engler says.
The shop will open in the middle of March.
It’s quite a switch from landscape architecture, though Engler points out that he has designed parks and bike paths.
Engler shows his passion for biking daily. Today, he even pedaled through the snow to the YMCA to work out.
“It was wonderful.”
But with owning his own business, will he still have time to bike?
“Well, definitely. As much as possible.”