Motorcycles, lattes: Everett shop with horsepower

Published 12:08 am Monday, August 20, 2007

EVERETT — Vintage bikes in the storefront window, black tire tracks crisscrossing the floor and racks of leather biker gear quickly give away the focus of Randy and Sandy Morris’ business.

But what looks at first glance like a strange hybrid between a motorcycle shop and a neighborhood espresso cafe, with a little local art and history thrown in, has gained a loyal following in its first year.

Located in one of the old buildings lining Hewitt Avenue just a couple blocks west of I-5, Old Strokers Motorcycle Works clearly is a passion for both the owners and some of its customers.

Deciding to open a shop specializing in clothes, gear and decor for motorcyclists wasn’t the hard part for the Morrises, who are both avid bikers.

“I’ve been riding all my life, and we’ve been all over looking at bike shops and coffeehouses,” said Randy Morris, who rides a vintage Harley-Davidson.

He’s an aerospace worker in his “real job”; wife Sandy works for Catholic Community Services and is an experienced coffee barista. She was selling T-shirts and artwork at festivals and fairs before they plunged into opening Old Strokers, the first small business venture for either of them.

The couple spent months improving and decorating their space on Hewitt Avenue, just a couple blocks west of I-5, which previously was used for storage. By last summer, after a lot of time and a sizable investment from the Morrises’ savings accounts, both the shop and the coffeehouse in back were up and running.

As it happens, it’s located next to Brushfire, which customizes motorcycles. The two accent each other, Sandy Morris acknowledged.

After the Morrises threw open their doors last year, they hoped to attract fellow motorcycle riders by hosting meetups for riders and other events. Those actions and the shop’s casual, comfortable vibe helped get the word out and bring people in.

Even on a weekday afternoon last week, several customers were hanging out at the Bench Racers Motorcycle Cafe, the coffeehouse in the back half of the shop. Rides organized by the meetup that Old Strokers hosts are drawing scores of participants.

“It’s a really great place to meet people,” said Sandy Joski of Everett, who rides a Yamaha Virago and rides with the local group that meets at the shop. “This is the third motorcycle group I’ve belonged to, but this one’s like a family. … It’s very unique.”

Randy Morris said it didn’t take long for customers to begin hanging their own motorcycle paraphernalia to the shop’s walls. He also has historic photos hanging up that harken back to Everett’s motorcycle culture during the past century.

“They like being here, because it’s like their own space,” he said. Old Strokers also sometimes sells customers’ old gear on consignment.

As for the clothes, jewelry and artwork in the shop, the Morrises said they try to offer as many locally produced items as possible, both to support locals and to keep their inventory unique.

Despite early signs of success, the Everett couple have been cautious about their business. Both still have their other jobs, and their main employees are their grown children, Andrew and Lori Morris. Andrew’s 8-year-old daughter, Taya, offers temporary tattoos to customers and uses proceeds to buy toys for Children’s Hospital patients.

As they grow, the Morrises could ask their own customers for tips. Terry Ray, a small-business consultant in Everett, is a regular, even though she doesn’t ride a motorcycle.

“This is just a great place to come and meet clients. They seem to like a more casual atmosphere like they have here,” said Ray, who sometimes teaches business classes in the cafe.

The Morrises call theirs a “nondenominational” cycle shop, where you don’t have to be a devout Harley rider to feel accepted. Anyone with an interest in transportation involving two wheels and a revving engine is welcome.

“We don’t care what they ride,” Randy Morris said. “It’s all about putting your face in the wind.”

Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.