The boardwalk here in our treasured Pacific Beach always has such a wealth of the different walks of life. Every time I ride my custom cruiser there, it’s never the same experience twice. Have you noticed how outrageously cool some of the beach cruisers are these days? Last year, at the Pacific Beach Christmas Parade, I met Joe Wivart while waiting in the concession area for the parade to begin. Joe and his wife, Lori, and their kids, Kimmy, Joseph, Nathan and Ross were on some of the coolest cruisers I’d seen. I soon found out that Joe owns Pacific Coast Bicycle located at 1637 Garnet Ave. Joe was born and raised in Pacific Beach. His father, Eugene, moved from Seattle in the 1950s to join the Navy. He served his country, settled in Pacific Beach and started a family. Joe himself was born in 1970. He attended elementary, middle and high school here in Pacific Beach and met Lori during his junior year. A lot has changed since he was a kid growing up in PB in the 1970s, especially with beach cruisers. “I’ve always enjoyed riding my beach cruiser,” Joe said. So much so, he said, that about 10 years ago he started selling bicycle accessories at a 10-foot-by-10-foot booth at Kobey’s Swap Meet. The success of his business allowed him to rent an 1,100-square-foot shop in the Tommy’s TV strip mall in the 1600 block of Garnet Avenue. The business grew to include different types of cruisers and all sorts of accessories. And when the longtime business owner, Tommy Tighe, retired four years ago, Pacific Coast Bicycle took over the storefront and expanded the operation to an impressive 6,500 square feet. His store is packed with choppers, stretch cruisers, BMX bikes and every type of accessory you could imagine. I’m always stopping in to see what cool new accessory I can add to my cruiser. “Customizing cruisers is our specialty,” Joe said. “We’ve got so many cool gadgets to add to your bike its hard to resist sprucing up your ride.” I can attest to one really cool product that is a must for any bicycle owner — a product called the ACOUZTIC by XCEON. It’s essentially a flashlight/MP3 player that features home theater audio quality with high-tech lighting in a compact, easy-to-carry portable unit. It has the ability to download up to 450 of your favorite songs and its state-of-the-art design is surprisingly affordable at a just $100. I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to ride my beach cruiser as often as possible. It’s hard not to with so many great places to ride. Joe takes pride in being born and raised here and having the ability to run a family business. So if you’re like me and enjoy cruising your bike and adding all the bells and whistles, stop in to see Joe and his family at Pacific Coast Bicycle. He makes a wonderful addition to our beautiful seaside town — our beloved Pacific Beach. — Kevin Di Cicco is the owner of Buddy the dog, who is best known for his roles in the long string of “Air Bud” movies and his ball-playing skills showcased on popular television shows. For booking inquiries, contact www.airbud.com.
