What: Moving celebration for Merlyn Mechanics
When: Friday, July 27, 5-8 p.m.
Where: Area 61 Gallery, 61 E. Main St.
RSVP: Click here
Owner of Chattanooga custom wheel-building company Merlyn Townley has moved his business to the Southside's Area 61 Gallery.
“Since we moved our shop out of the BDC, we’ve been looking for an opportunity to get Merlyn Mechanics back into a retail space,” he said in a prepared statement. "After talking with David and Keeli Crewe, we were excited to learn that they had space available and were interested in a nontraditional form of art for their gallery.”
Townley is hosting an event during the Southside ArtStroll tonight to celebrate the move. He will showcase artisan wheels and bike builds, as well as upcycled bike bottle openers made from bike rims and new, limited-edition posters.
Co-owner of Area 61 David Crewe said Merlyn Mechanics products will be showcased throughout the month of August in the gallery.
“We wanted this month's featured artist to be something different, so we’re calling this a 'pop-up shop' showcasing custom artistic bicycle wheels that are not only functional, but also fast, high-tech and beautiful," he said in a prepared statement.
In March, Townley announced that he had expanded his business with new products, an online blog and a revamped website.
Two years ago, the seasoned pro-race mechanic started Merlyn Mechanics out of his home, where Townley creates artisan custom bicycle wheels “built-to-order” for cycling fanatics, bike shops, manufacturers, and frame-building companies and their customers.
Merlyn Mechanics offers bicycle repair and maintenance, custom bike builds, frame alignment, wheel displays for shops, spoke cutting and related bicycle products.
Townley has traveled the world—60 countries and six continents—as a race mechanic, he told Nooga.com last year.
He settled in Chattanooga after he met the woman who is now his wife drew him to the area.
Townley has been a bicycle mechanic since 1982 and has provided support for more 1,000 national and international races.
He has also served as a mechanic/team manager for more 20 teams worldwide, including the Dansko woman’s pro team; the MG X-Power cycling team; and the Australian, USA, Japanese and Rwandan national teams.
