Creating More Than Bike Lanes

Carpenter Art Garden Bike Shop brings the residents of Binghampton a biking program that offers more than just two wheels. Founded a little over 2 years ago, The Carpenter Art Garden received a grant from the Plough Foundation to purchase and renovate a Binghampton home. That home is now Carpenter Art Garden Bike Shop. Located at 296 Carpenter Street, Carpenter Art Garden Bike shop is teaming up with Pedaltown Bicycle Company to kick their program into full gear by adopting a bicycle trade-in feature.
 
“It was started because of demand. Following the story of Donte and his new bicycle, which was purchased from selling the Grizz Hearts you see throughout Memphis, we started to get feedback from the neighborhood. Bikes are simple. They are a teaching tool, they are tools that involve learning together, and it’s a tool that once completed can transport you. The bicycle serves as a symbol NOT to get residents out (or ride away) of Binghampton, but a symbol to bring them together and showcase the talent in Binghampton,” explains Clark Butcher, owner of Pedaltown Bicycle Company and board member of Carpenter Art Garden.
 
This program matches volunteers with an estimated 70 neighborhood children and adults to provide vocational job training and opportunities. Every Tuesday members of the program work on art installations, take-home projects, and gardening with participants potentially earning a bike of their own through the program. The program has received over 100 adult and children bicycles as donations from Pedaltown to aid them in their efforts, but your help is still needed. To generate more donations , Pedaltown is allowing customers to trade-in bicycles they’ve outgrown or no longer use. By donating a bike, you become eligible for a 10% discount on a new bicycle in the store, and it is donated to The Carpenter Art Garden Bike Shop. 
 
This program gives you an opportunity to give back to your local Memphis community while you shop, as well as the opportunity to supply those in the program with learning tools or gifting them with a new bicycle. Carpenter Art Garden Bike Shop hopes that this program is used to teach a skill set, create better citizens, and continue to show the world the amazing talent Memphis has.
Be sure to check out Carpenter Art Garden (https://www.carpenterartgarden.com/) and Pedaltown Bicycle Company (https://www.pedaltownbicycle.com/) by clicking the links provided and following them on Instagram.