.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }
.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

Lucky’s Garage,
originally uploaded by Lexinatrix.

The new name in custom motorcycles in Minneapolis is Lucky’s Garage. Lucky’s started out on Washington Ave, and now has this location in S. Minneapolis near Whiskey Junction/The Cabooze/The Joint and spitting distance from the Triple Rock Social Club.

The owner of Lucky’s used to work with the owner of the EasyRiders franchise, which stood just across the street from this Lucky’s location. They had an ugly falling out a couple years ago, and thus Lucky’s was born with the excellent business model of realizing a personal vendetta and putting EasyRiders out of business.

Lucky’s landed the lucrative Bourget Bike Works contract, which set them apart from the relatively uninspired American Iron Horse deal that EasyRiders had.

Recently, the EasyRiders parent company decided to dump all their franchises, and return to their roots of magazine publishing. EasyRiders was clearly struggling to maintain its foothold without the EasyRiders name and backing as well as facing fierce competition from Lucky’s.

Yesterday I cruised by and saw the empty garage of EasyRiders, and the semi trucks loading up the goods. It was a little sad — and end of an era of sorts — and Lucky’s just didn’t have the same feel. Well, the one obvious similarity was that I was ignored just as much in Lucky’s as I was at EasyRiders. I’ve come to expect that as a female biker, but it would be nice to be surprised once in awhile.

Related posts:

1. Lucky’s not so lucky.
2. Garage Sale Season is here - if you can find them
3. Garage sales in Seward
4. MERGE
5. WNTRSUX