Last march, Blue City Cycles opened its doors in a former barbershop on Halsted Street, the main drag of the Chicago’s Bridgeport community. It is a welcome addition to the South Side, which is starved for bike stores.

"It's really cool to be a neighborhood shop in an area that didn't have one for a long time," said owner Owen Lloyd, who has lived down the street for three years. "People are grateful we're here to offer what I consider an essential service."

Lloyd and business partner Claire Knipper are veterans of local shops and community cycle centers like Rapid Transit, Boulevard Bikes, Working Bikes and Blackstone Bicycle Works. “I guess this is the classic American dream thing – open your own small business and be your own boss,” he said.

Patrolled by a male tabby cat named Vanya, the new store has a cheerful blue, white, orange and yellow color scheme. It stocks a variety of new Schwinns, ranging from road to utility, from fixed-gear to the charming “Jenny” model – a canary-yellow cruiser with white fenders and brown leatherette saddle and grips.

The “Urban Soul,” an affordable, flat-bar single-speed by KHS, promises to be a hit with Bridgeport’s recent crop of artists and musicians. Blue City also has a good selection of commuter accessories, and its basement is full of old bikes waiting to be rehabbed and sold.

Lloyd said their goal is to be a commuter and neighborhood shop with affordable, meat-and-potatoes bikes: “We’re trying to get the price point between three and seven hundred dollars, to provide reasonably priced bikes to get people out there riding.”

They decided to open the shop after noticing that the neighborhood has a lot of cyclists but no local shops to take care of them. The closest one (Art’s Cycles in Pilsen) is three miles away. “We figured there’s enough business in this neighborhood to sustain a small store,” Lloyd said.

During the winter slow season, Blue City hopes to maintain cash flow by offering specials on winterizing (installing fenders, rust-resistant chains, lights, etc.) and season-long maintenance. “The biggest challenge for a new shop is staying solvent and keeping the doors open,” Lloyd said.

Blue City Cycles, 3201 S. Halsted Street: bluecitycycles.com (312) 225-3780.