Landry’s Bicycles ‘keeps Boston rolling’
“The staff at Landry's Bicycles make you feel like you're part of their family. They care as much about your cycling experience as they do their own.”
America might run on Dunkin’, but Boston runs — er, rolls? — on Landry’s.
The Boston metro region was one of several cities that saw a bump in urban cycling since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from mobility data firm StreetLight Data, and many of those new cyclists are still on the road. If you cycle in Boston, chances are you’ve heard of Landry’s.
We asked Boston.com for their favorite small businesses in Greater Boston, and for two years in a row, Landry’s Bicycles was one of the most reader-recommended local shops.
“Landry’s keeps Boston rolling,” Todd, a reader from Brookline, told Boston.com. “Literally, Landry’s is a part of the community and keeps more Bostonians riding on the streets and trails around Boston.”
For Mark Vautour, a retail store manager at Landry’s Bicycles’ Boston location, the continued interest in bicycling since the pandemic has cemented the important — and essential — role that biking and bicycles play in the lives of Bostonians.
“In 2020, the government declared bike shops to be essential…While we’re not still in a pandemic, it’s not that Landry’s is essential, it’s that the bicycle is still essential for a better Boston,” he said.
Boston.com reader Rachel from Newton agreed. “In the challenging times of post-COVID bicycle buying and repair, Landry’s has come out on top!”
Vautour has worked at Landry’s for 27 years. He interned at the bike shop through a program at his high school (Westborough High School), which awarded students with good grades and attendance an internship during their senior year. As a competitive runner in school, he chose Landry’s hoping to get good at the mechanical work he would need to pursue his dreams of being a triathlete. But his plans didn’t exactly pan out — for the better.
“When I started working at Landry’s, [and experienced] the kind of joy I found in making other people happy and solving their problems, I really never became a good mechanic,” he said.
Landry’s Bicycles has been operating in Massachusetts and abroad (co-founder John Landry operated a temporary bike shop in France during World War II, building and repairing military bicycles) since 1922. It is one of the longest-operating bike shops in America, according to their website.
The business was first established by the Landry Family, then owned by the Henry Family from the 1970s through 2010, and is now 100% owned by Landry’s employees. Starting in 2010, Landry’s ownership transitioned to an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan), with the final ESOP transaction completed in January 2022.
Landry’s has locations in Boston, Braintree, Charlestown, Natick, Needham, Norwood, Westborough, and Worcester. The stores offer bike repair and maintenance services, bike fittings, gear, group bike rides, and more.
Customers like Eric C. from Brookline called Landry’s a “community fixture serving both transportation-oriented riders and cycling enthusiasts alike,” adding that the employee-owned model “helps invest in our community.”
Vautour agreed, saying the employee-owned model not only flattens the organization and connects the top and bottom, but also means the staff is completely dedicated and focused on helping their customers.
“Every employee views the next customer that walks in the door as their priority,” he said. “The intention here is to keep people happy but also put the focus on the customer. It’s pretty unique.”
He said the store’s relationship with its customers is “not just a transactional business,” but is a serious commitment to the safety and transportation needs of riders.
“The [repair and maintenance] process takes a level of trust for a lot of our customers because their bike can be their transportation. We need to get you fixed quickly so you can get back on the road,” he said.
Many Boston.com readers told us the staff’s expertise, dedication, and genuine passion for bicycling is what makes them loyal to the shop.
Greg from Boston praised the bike shop for their “amazing customer service,” and Calvin V. from Arlington said the staff at Landry’s “make you feel like you’re part of their family.”
“They care as much about your cycling experience as they do their own,” he said.
This store is one of over 100 local businesses recommended by readers as among the best in the Greater Boston area. See Boston.com’s guides to local businesses in and outside of Boston, and nominate your own below.
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