Downtown Stillwater's First Bike Shop: Janna's Hides and Rides

Over the next few years, downtown Stillwater is likely to see a boon of shops aimed at serving .

And Stillwater native Janna Murray is proud to be the first—her specialty shop, Janna’s Hides and Rides, opened Monday.

The city has gotten inquiries from people looking into businesses catering to future users of the new trails, Stillwater City Planner Michel Pogge confirmed.

“She’s first,” he said. “She’s open and it’s exciting for downtown. It’s a case of the early bird getting the worm.”

Murray said she is sure there will be many bicycle rental shops popping up on Main Street in the near future, but she wanted to be the first.

Janna’s Hides and Rides will start by renting four brightly-colored “beach cruisers” and eventually plans on throwing her 1970s Columbia tandem bicycle in the mix.

If there’s a need for more bike rentals, she has set up a partnership with .

“We are geared toward the tourist, not the serious cyclist,” Murray said. “We’ll start with renting one-and three-speeds. The Bikery will do everything else.”

Murray is also a realist.

 “I know you can’t make a living renting bikes unless you have hundreds of bikes for rent and trails open to riders all year around,” she said.

Then there's the fact that construction of the new bike trails hasn’t started yet.

Construction on the may start this fall, or at the latest, in spring 2013. The will not be retrofit for a trail until the new bridge is constructed.

But Murray has a plan for that, too.

“I plan on riding out the construction with my consignment leather clothing shop,” she said. “That’s why we’re Hides and Rides. We’ve got hides for the bikers at and rides for the new trails.”

In addition to the four brightly-colored “beach cruisers” for rent, Murray’s shop offers consignment leather jackets, vests, chaps, pants, skirts, hats, gloves, belts and purses. Just don’t expect to find shoes or furniture.

“Leather isn’t just for bikers,” Murray said. “However, I will have plenty of biker leathers.”

When winter comes, Murray said she might sell fur and rent snowshoes. She is also looking into online consignment ventures to go along with her website that sells leather pillows and cat and dog collars.

“I plan on playing with it," Murray said. “Seeing what people want.”

Pogge expects to see an evolution of different entities trying to court trail users in downtown.

In the near future, residents will likely see bike rental, sale and repair shops, specialty foods and clothing stores, Pogge said. “Many of the shops that are currently downtown are right up the trail users’ alley, too.”

Murray said she’s excited to see her hometown grow.

“When I was a kid there was nothing out here. I remember when the first stoplight was installed on Highway 36,” she said. “The whole dynamics of this area is going to change brining much needed commerce and traffic control.”

At a Glance: Janna's Hides and Rides

• Janna’s Hides and Rides is open Mondays-Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Bike rental costs $15 for two hours; $25 for four hours; and $35 for the day.
• Janna's Hides and Rides is located on North Main Street, just north of where Candyland will open in July, next to the building that formerly housed Instudio photo.