Super Champion Bike Shop

One of the coolest bike shops I've been to on either side of the ocean is Super Champion on Main St. in Vancouver.  It's located in one of the worst parts of town, the Downtown East Side, the poorest neighbourhood in Canada. Why do cool shops exist in the worst neighbourhoods?  

John Cusack said it best in the movie High Fidelity, explaining why his record shop was purposely located in the bad part of town: "It's located in a neighbourhood that attracts the bare minimum of window shoppers.  I get by because people make a special effort to shop here". 

So true. Notice the guy laying down in front of the shop writing his Please Help Me sign right in front of their sandwich board? This is normal for this area. As discrete as the store is, I think their name and logo is very hipster and pop-culture worthy.  So cool, that Lifetime Collective makes clothing in collaboration with them.  I've bought a couple of jackets and t-shirts, all very awesome indeed!

In fact, I bought a bike magazine in Tokyo and look at what I found in it!  Yes, a Super Champion and Lifetime collaboration ad.... in a magazine in Tokyo!!   However, as connected as they are, their on-line presence is almost zero!!  Check out their Facebook Page.  That's pretty much all they have. It's pretty sad.  But maybe it's self-inflicted? Either way, their bikes are cool, and so is their clothing!!  Check them out.