Not even fire could prevent Ismael Bohme from fulfilling his mission as Pacific Beach’s bicycle Mr. Fix-it.
Bohme, who officially opened Bike Garage at 4645 Cass St., Suite 105, in February 2017 with a business partner, had that space wiped out by an after-hours fire this April.
But after a brief hiatus, he’s rebooted, in a brand new retail space at 1556 Grand Ave., Suite D he found on Craigslist, sandwiched in-between an auto repair shop and a surfboard shaper. He’s also right around the corner from Pacific Beach Ace Hardware, which Boehme said helps a lot with foot traffic going by his bike-repair shop.
“I’ve actually been in business since 2013 when I was working out of my home garage (hence the name),” said Bohme, a Chilean native with an engineering degree who turned mechanic after discovering he loved working with his hands.
Bohme said he is back by popular demand. Following the fire, he was unsure about reopening right away. But people wanted him back. So he found a way to return.
While living in Chile, Boehme used to travel to America every year, working seasonally as a ski instructor at Lake Tahoe. But, after finding his bride-to-be, they decided to settle down in the States permanently, first in San Francisco before moving to San Diego.
What’s different about Bohme’s new garage?
“I’m trying to turn this into more of a workshop where I can do customizing,” Bohme said, noting he sells new bikes as well as repairing old ones including painting, rebuilding and repurposing of them.
“We sell new and used bikes, do e-bike conversions and any custom projects you want to give us,” he said, adding he also now works only weekdays, and is off weekends.
Bike Garage guarantees a quick turnaround on repairs.
“We came back with lots more energy, we’re ready for any project,” said Bohme. “We guarantee 24-hours service on any project. You bring a bike in for a tune-up, we’ll get it done by the next day. Walk-ins are more than welcome. Flat tires on the spot, cable repairs, battery changes while you wait. It’s one-to-one. I love to work with my customers directly.”
Bohme’s clientele is mostly locals, but that includes the gamut of riders, everyone from casual boardwalk riders to commuters to competitive cyclists. Bike Garage Where: 1556 Grand Ave., Suite D. Info:?bikegaragesd.com, 858-257-7375.
