Say “Frenchmen Street,” and the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is music. But nestled in among the clubs and bars at 622 Frenchmen is a full-service bicycle shop that has repeatedly been named one of the best in the country.
Michael Ferrand first opened Bicycle Michael’s in 1983, having moved to New Orleans a few years earlier after another cold Chicago winter. While studying at Tulane University, he noticed that there were no bicycle shops in the vicinity of the French Quarter, which was much more residential at that time.
“I started with a toolbox, but I kept doing it,” he recalled. “Basically, it was an experiment that got out of control.” Ferrand noted that”Frenchmen Street was not really a thing when we started, not a destination like it is today.”
He attributes his shop’s longevity to its focus on higher quality and customer service, plus experience and expertise.
“To us, service is the linchpin of everything,” Ferrand said.
Bicycle sales are the starting point. Bicycle Michael’s sells everything from regular, everyday cycles to high-end and even custom-built models.
“We like to sell things that we can be proud of,” Ferrand observed, “and we like selling things that we can fix.”
More than half of the shop’s business comes from repairs and service.
“Repairs have always been our main thing,” he said, adding that sometimes other local bicycle stores send their customers to him for specialized work. “We are known as the shop for difficult repairs.”
This servicing includes standard frame repairs, parts replacement, the regular maintenance required to keep bouncing along the New Orleans streets, and of course, working on the electric bikes (though Ferrand finds that often people come in with models they purchased elsewhere, or online, and replacement parts are simply not available).
What sets Bicycle Michael’s apart is its capacity to perform highly specialized work. Parts are imported from around the world as needed, and the shop is one of few in the country that does custom wheel building. Underlying it all is a commitment to getting the job done as quickly as possible.
Bicycle Michael’s also stocks all manner of parts and accessories. The shop is an enthusiast’s dream of every imaginable bicycle item, plus everything from biking apparel to backpacks, water bottles to sunglasses, gloves to bike covers.
The final component of the business is rentals, though with the advent of the city’s Blue Bikes system, Ferrand noted that rentals have dropped off considerably. Ferrand originally supported the program for its value to locals, but said its popularity has caused several local, rental-only operations to close down, which has made him less enthused about it.
Yet business remains strong as cycling continues to grow in New Orleans, along with bike paths and bike lanes. Ferrand and his staff of five remain busy, customers return frequently, and despite the changes in his neighborhood and across the city, there’s nothing like riding around the streets and parks on two wheels.
Bicycle Michael’s
622 Frenchmen St. // New Orleans
504-945-9505 // bicyclemichaels.com
@bicyclemichaelsnola // @bicyclemichaels
