Fixing Bikes as a Kid Leads to a Business as an Adult

Jonathan Minks was out of work for a few years and getting nowhere in trying to find employment.

“I finally decided to do something I had liked since I was a kid,” he said.

That something was fixing bicycles.

Just a few months after starting his business, he has never been happier.

Minks opened Jonny Rock Bikes in downtown Hopkins on May 1, and business is booming.

Jonny Rock Bikes is unique in that it repairs, refurbishes and tunes up all kinds of bikes. The shop is adjacent to on Mainstreet. The selection of bikes is vast. He has worked on a vintage 1927 Schwinn Trucker and has a large cross section of road bikes, mountain bikes and racing bikes.

“We will work on anything be it a unicycle or a kids tricycle,” he said.

Minks, who had been an office supply sales representative, dipped into his savings to start the business. One of the first steps was to get an inventory.

“I went to a lot of garage sales and also, as part of a green movement, worked with the cities of Mendota Heights and Becker to take away bikes local residents were discarding.

Jonny Rock Bikes refurbishes a lot of the bikes it gets in and then sells them.

“Our inventory fluctuates and we will have to do well in the non-winter months,” Minks said.

He points out that being in the Twin Cities is a big advantage for a bike business.

“Minneapolis-St. Paul and Portland are always first or second each year when it comes to biking activity. Here, we have a lot of bike trails and a lot of people who bike," he said. “The green movement and high gas prices at the pump has resulted in a big spike in bike use.”

He believes his niche marketing fits a specific, but sizeable segment of biking fans.

“I and my customers seem to like the one-on-one personalized service,” he said.

Minks is an unabashed self-promoter and already has stories on his new venture in both the local print and broadcast media.

“I am a salesman and not hesitant to toot my own horn,” he added.

But Minks is also a believer in helping others. His shop works with the House of Charity in Minneapolis, which serves the homeless, people suffering from chemical dependency issues and disadvantaged individuals. He also is active with Full Cycle in Minneapolis, a non-profit bike shop that employs and trains homeless youth teaching bike repair and business skills.

Jonny Rock Bikes is located at 1019 Mainstreet, Suite B in Hopkins. To learn more visit the business's website.