Filming at the Shop with Batata Doce
The Sopo crew is awfully creative when it comes to making instructional materials, doing outreach, and raising funds and friends. With our friend Eric Holder of Industrial Strength Promotions, and his friend Ramsey, and his other friend Jason Drakeford, formerly of Super Deluxe, and Jason's friend Matt Raufman (got all that?), we started filming our first installment of This Bike Could Be Your Life.
The show concept is this: we demonstrate basic bike repairs with the help of our famous musician friends who also play a song or two in the shop. The show is complete with a theme song by Judi Chicago and Electric Company and Sesame Street-style animation. Each episode will be about 10 minutes long, and air on some kind of internet video channel. We're planning a totally fun premiere party, so stay tuned for the date and location!
Batata Doce, one of Sopo's favorite bands, spent last Thursday night with us, turning the shop into a show space, and Open Hours into a party. Check out Jay's video of the videographers making a video...
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Monday July, 2008 16:56
Remember When John Lewis Visited the Shop?
We're still thrilled about it. Here are a few more pictures.
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Friday July, 2008 14:27
Sopo Empowers Kids to Help Each Other
We've got some truly amazing young mechanics turning wrenches at the shop. They help each other with repair projects. Some have built bikes for their brothers and sisters who have been walking to summer school all summer long. Our International Rescue Committee interns are soaking up as much information as possible so they can start a community bike shop in Clarkston. Zay, who's been with us since the shop was in the living room, turned out last weekend and pretty much ran the place. We are thrilled that our youngest community members are genius bike mechanics and compassionate teachers.
Posted by rachael On: Wednesday June, 2008 16:24
Vote for Sopo: Best Bike Shop in Creative Loafing's Best of 2008
So many people wrote us in for Best Bike Shop in 2006, we actually won an unlisted title: Best Bike Resource. It didn't pan out in 2007. Help us make it happen in 2008 (on page 3/5)! You may want to consider Sopo us as Best Unique Thing About Atlanta, or Sopo Volunteers as Best Local Do-Gooder(s) (2/5).
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Sunday June, 2008 22:41
When is the Best Time to Come to Sopo?
Wednesday night, 7 pm until 10 pm. We just added it to the mix, it is mellow so far. Come check it out!
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Friday June, 2008 15:02
Having a Good Time at Sopo? Tell Us About It!
The shop is busier than ever these days. Gas prices might have something to do with it. But I suspect that people are turning out more and more because the shop is a whole lot of fun. Having a good time at Sopo? Leave us a comment. Tell us a story. Give us a critique if you want to (we like it when it's constructive). Of course, the good times wouldn't be possible without all of you, so thanks for making our collective dream come true!
Click the "Read Full Story" link and go to the comment form at the bottom of the page.
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Monday June, 2008 12:49
Councilperson Natalyn Archibong Says Hi at Brownwood Bike Rally, and the Cutest Wheeltruer Ever
Last weekend's Brownwood Bicycle Rally, a benefit for the East Atlanta Kids Club, brought the most fun you could have on a Saturday morning. There's really nothing quite like sweeping a kids' criterium race while the DJ puts T-Pain in heavy rotation, and then following that up with sharing Snow Cones with the Sopo youths who insisted upon doing their own repairs at our repair station. Funny how they suddenly know exactly how to adjust their stems when it's time to show off. A marvellous day was had by all. We even got a special visit from our City Councilperson, Natalyn Archibong. She wants us to help her get a bike. Something comfy.
And now, your moment of cute:
Posted by rachael On: Wednesday June, 2008 11:19
How To Build Wheels And Support Our Youth Programming All At The Same Time!
True to Sopo-style, we managed to drum up the best kind of support for our youth programming. Our friends at Perros Libres, Inc., generously donated the cash we needed to get the parts (discounted for us by Intown Bikes) to build Jonathan's wheels. And now you get to benefit, too, because we're hosting a wheel building workshop with those parts on Monday, June 23, from 7 pm until 10 pm. The workshop will be led by Rob, Intown's service manager.
If you'd like to lace and true wheels with us, and if you need parts, go see Rob. He'll tell you everything you need to know (spokes come in all sorts of measurements!). You can call Intown at 4-872-1736 or visit them at their store (at 10th/Virginia and Monroe, across the street from Park Tavern).
We're asking for a small donation if you come to learn ($0 - $10 sliding scale). All proceeds will go into our youth programming fund! We'll work on having food and drinks. It might turn into a party. You know how we do.
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Thursday June, 2008 16:00
John Lewis--Representative, Freedom Rider, and Civil Rights Leader--Visits Sopo
What an honor. John Lewis, our U.S. Representative, turned a wrench with us on Saturday. He graciously shook everyone's bike greasy hands and thanked us for our spectacular community work. It was thoroughly exciting to have a most respected community leader who's been fighting for our rights for decades come and see how we go about making his district, and the world, a better place.
We especially appreciated the opportunity to introduce our youngest community members to their Representative. The Rep. imparted a few words of wisdom out of adult earshot. Personally, I have never been so verklempt.*
Creative Loafing snapped a few pictures, so stay tuned for more about our fantastic day!
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Sunday June, 2008 23:52
The Return of Sopo Boy
On the lighter side of Sopo...
Remember the weird plastic pointing boy-turtle sidewalk sign we had way back in the day? You know, Sopo Boy? Also known as Steve Yates? He's been missing for two years, and he came back this week! Jeff from Bound to Be Read Books found him hanging out at Southside High School. Too bad no one sent us polaroid pictures of the Sopo Boy's adventures around the world. Garden gnomes have all the fun, eh?
Read more....Posted by rachael On: Wednesday May, 2008 15:31
