LONGTIME BIKE STORE OWNER SELLS SHOP

After 20 years in business — and at the same location — Lynn Vanier has sold Oregon Trail Bicycles.

The new owners of the store, at 1102 Adams Ave. in La Grande are brothers Scott and Pat Lewis.

Scott, who comes here from Grand Junction, Colo., will manage the local store, which will be renamed slightly to Oregon Trail Bikes.

Pat Lewis will remain in Beaverton for now, Scott said, but the two want to have three stores going in Oregon in the next five years.

Scott, who has 20 years' experience with various race teams, said the purchase of the local store came quickly.

"I looked on eBay on the 17th and saw it was for sale. I saw that the business had had the same owner for 20 years at the same location. It sounded like a perfect fit for me, since service is my specialty.

"The bidding closed on the 24th of December and we took over the store on Jan. 1."

He wants to continue the top-notch service offered by Vanier, he said.

He has changed the front of the 1,000-square-foot store somewhat to expand the showroom by 20 more feet up front.

Classic bikes will be displayed in a more organized way, he said, at one side of the store. The bikes had been on view but not in an organized display, Scott Lewis said.

There are more than 35 bikes built from 1913 to 1962 that Vanier had collected in the Grande Ronde Valley.

As for changes in merchandise, Lewis said he wants to add some specialized bikes and the Jamis brand.

The store carries BMX, mountain, road, race, downhill, touring as well as the classic brands such as Schwinn Zenith, Columbia and Silver King. And the store can service them all, including frame alignments.

Store hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The phone number will remain 963-2084.

Lewis is developing the store's Web site:

www.oregontrailbikes.com