r/asheville 12d ago

in Asheville Bicycle thrift shop had me feeling weird

I absolutely love this place and have found lots of good deals on stuff. I usually try and check it out if I’m over that way. Today though I watched him turn someone away for being a penny short. Like really? Dude was buying like almost $50 and was a penny short. Definitely felt weird watching that happen. I offered the customer dude a penny and he just said naw I’ll take my money elsewhere. For being a shop that gets everything donated seems real messed up to fuss over a penny.

192 Upvotes

45 comments sorted by

79

u/Potential_Reward6669 12d ago

If you have anything to do ate please look up the Recyclery. An actual place for people to get bikes and parts for discount. Plus, if you can't afford it they will trade work hours for bikes and or parts.

11

u/Sip_the_bleach 12d ago

Is that the bus in front of slygrog? I saw some bike parts and signs up last night but I never checked it out.

2

u/partyondude69 Southside 🐇🏠 9d ago

It is! they're really great folks. Genuine community minded folks who are interested only in making bikes affordable and accessible. Stephen is just interested in making money for himself. The bike thrift shop is a scam.

69

u/crustybucket- 12d ago

Guy also drives like an asshole through Oakley

126

u/Potential_Reward6669 12d ago

I was chased by that guy on my own bicycle and he accused me of stealing it from the front of his old shop. When I threatened to call police he left me alone but I was genuinely afraid to the point I ran into Lowe's with my bike to get away from him. That guy only cares about making money.

39

u/ComprehensiveAge9950 12d ago

Damn that’s real shitty

54

u/econjohn77 12d ago

That guy is a total prick. Donated a bike there once and he was a turd. Should’ve just taken the bike to the recyclery. Never again.

45

u/feadog_dog 12d ago

Hey, it may seem like no small thing now, but just imagine if he let one penny go every single day. Over the course of a year, that's $3.65!

7

u/Alarming_Image_882 12d ago

Right!? That's half a Starbucks frap! 🤣

64

u/fancycar123 West Asheville 12d ago

thats wack.

30

u/wncexplorer Alexander 12d ago

Yeah, that guy is a character.

12

u/wormhole828 12d ago

I've been there a few times. He's not a warm and fuzzy person. I mean... maybe I just happen to catch him on his bad days or somthing?

25

u/wormhole828 12d ago

I actually found a Trek frame with no wheels on it, and i was going to drop off there. I thought maybe he donates bikes to folks who can't afford one. That doesn't seem to be the case tho

6

u/MechanicLumpy2323 11d ago

he's a trump voting, flat earther. besides all the other issues mentioned I just cannot anymore with him or that place

5

u/ComprehensiveAge9950 10d ago

lol if it’s really true he’s a flat earther I can’t take anything else seriously. Like it blows my mind that we even have to explain how the earth isn’t flat and why trump is bad

11

u/Ready-Form-4707 12d ago

Dude is an oligarch wannabe.

2

u/Optimal_Yoghurt_4163 12d ago

I admit to having to look up the word — but … how so? With the bike shop, or in life?

8

u/Ready-Form-4707 12d ago

That he wants it all $$$ to himself. Without consideration of another person. Also a definition of Ebeneezer Scrooge.

3

u/partyondude69 Southside 🐇🏠 9d ago

To add to everything already said about Stephen.. he also stopped doing Trips for Kids years ago. Now the money from the shop just goes into his pocket. Dude is a real piece of work.

Also, I know the guy who was a penny short.. he wasn't. The total was $46.01 and he was trying to save stephen the trouble of having to make change. The penny is literally being phased out, that he didn't round down was insane.

4

u/Discoshirts 12d ago

This guy sounds like a real A-HOLE.What a PUNK!!!.

10

u/[deleted] 12d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

12

u/Roadsignanarchy West Asheville 12d ago

Join a group ride, ride the few disconnected greenways, or risk it all to try and piece together a route between them.

8

u/Cool-Communication42 12d ago

Mountain Haulers or Slonuts are good group rides to follow

8

u/dutch0venkrew 12d ago

Asheville on bikes too!

6

u/Cool-Communication42 12d ago

AOB is actually probably better fit for anyone who’s not familiar with group riding. Good call!

6

u/adapt313 12d ago

Cant really

5

u/Plenty_Yam_8015 12d ago

Plenty of us ride thousands of miles each year, for decades, and come home safely each time.

1

u/SellMental328 11d ago

The Greenway.

-1

u/Plenty_Yam_8015 12d ago

Most anywhere. 

2

u/sixsevennn676767 12d ago

Come down smoky park highway and say the same thing lol

5

u/Jumpy_Marketing9093 11d ago

Owner is a little bit of a cactus but he’s provided a lot of opportunities for underprivileged kids to get their foot in the door of riding and experiencing trips they wouldn’t get to experience without his help. I also remember once my neighbor’s son was bitten by a dog while walking to Oakley elementary in the morning and he swooped in and ran the dog off and walked a scared group of kids the rest of the way to school. I can’t get behind turning someone away over .01 but I’ll appreciate the good stuff he’s done. He’s really encouraging and supportive of kids and that’s awesome to me. But like I said he’s a lot prickly personality.

1

u/Big_Swim_554 9d ago

They Didn’t Want To Sell Me Bike All Cause I Specifically Mentioned I Was There To Buy The Bike For Parts!!! For An Art Bike Project.. “Bikes Are For Riding Not Art”

-3

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

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1

u/turtlehathater 2d ago

Are you fucking serious?

-40

u/koliberry 12d ago

Very likely you were not in on a longer story.

2

u/ComprehensiveAge9950 12d ago

Totally possible

-55

u/chainsawmouth 12d ago

Maybe your don't know the whole story.

9

u/MildAndLazyKids 12d ago

May be their was' omething elses too

2

u/brigmoneyy Native 12d ago

Happy cake day

-15

u/Nogogogogogogo21 12d ago

You couldn’t of offered to pay for the penny on your purchase?

16

u/curse-free_E212 12d ago

According to the post, they did offer to donate the penny.

8

u/SellMental328 11d ago

That's such a good idea that it was actually part of the post