IN THE TH FIRST: Longtime Dubuque business to move to Millwork District

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Longtime employee and future owner David Hartig stands in the current Bicycle World location on Central Avenue in Dubuque. The store is moving this spring after 50 years. PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Gassman
Longtime employee and future owner David Hartig stands in the current Bicycle World location on Central Avenue in Dubuque. The store is moving this spring after 50 years. PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Gassman
The Dupaco Voices Building at 1000 Jackson St. in Dubuque is future location of Bicycle World. PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Gassman
The Dupaco Voices Building at 1000 Jackson St. in Dubuque is future location of Bicycle World. PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Gassman
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Posted By: BY KAYLI REESE kayli.reese@thmedia.com December 28, 2022

A longtime Dubuque business will move into the Dupaco Voices Building in the new year.

Bicycle World, which has been at 1072 Central Ave. for 50 years, will move in the spring to the ground floor of the Dupaco Voices Building, 1000 Jackson St. In addition, 10-year employee David Hartig will take over ownership of the business from current owner Parrish Marugg.

“I am sure excited,” Hartig said. “I’ve been at it for 10 years. I came to work with a friend 10 years ago. I needed a 15- to 20-year project, and it might as well be something that I love.”

David Klavitter, chief marketing officer at Dupaco Community Credit Union, said Bicycle World will be the third tenant in the Dupaco Voices Building, in addition to Dupaco and Steele Capital Management. Portions of the building’s first and second floors are still open.

Klavitter said Bicycle World’s move fits into Dupaco’s aim of helping local businesses grow and thrive. The downtown location also will serve those people who like to bike to work or visitors seeking out trails, he said.

“The credit union’s goal as a presence in the downtown Dubuque area is vibrancy for people who live, work and play in downtown Dubuque,” he added. “Bicycle World has a 50-year history of serving those needs.”

Hartig said the store’s Central Avenue location has served the business well over the past 50 years.

However, the increase in electric pedal-assist bicycles has triggered the need for a location all on one level. These electric bikes are heavier and hard for one person to move up and down floors.

The new location will also consist of about 2,800 square feet, nearly triple the size of the current location.

“Our current location has been great up to this point,” Hartig said. “But I don’t think we have adequate room for growth. At the new location, we can do that and serve the growing cycling community. … The Millwork District also has really been ascending over the last five years. It got legs and really took off.”

Marugg has owned Bicycle World for 25 years and worked at the store 10 years prior to taking over ownership. He will retain ownership of Bicycle World’s current Central Avenue building and will find a new tenant for the space.

“I’m stepping away from a six-day-a-week job to do other stuff,” Marugg said. “I have not had much vacation time in the summer. … Most of the customers I have known for years. They are more like family than customers. Some people I have been seeing since they were kids, which makes it (leaving the business) a little tougher.”

Hartig added that he hopes to continue growing the community of cyclists and creating memories with the business.

“It’s not rare to have three generations of riders in here at a time,” he said. “They all buy their bikes here and get their service here.”

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