By Donald Gilpin

Kopp’s Cycle, known as the oldest continually running bike store in the country, will be opening its doors on Friday, August 16, for the start of a new phase in its history that dates back to 1891.

Electric bikes (ebikes) will now make up about 60 percent of the inventory, and a new name, Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s, will reflect the priorities of the new owners and operators of the Spring Street shop, which has been shut down since December 1, 2023, though bike repairs and a few sales have continued.

Princeton Property Partners purchased the business and the property early this year, and has teamed up with Wendy Reilley, who will be running the new store, moving her Pedego Princeton operation from its temporary Wiggins Street location where it has sold electric bikes over the past three years.

Reilley has been working to prepare for the relaunch of the shop, assisted by her three adult sons as well as Jesus Tapia and Kevin “KJ” Chu, two longtime Kopp’s employees who will be carrying on the tradition and helping to lead the transition.

“It’s been wonderful,” said Reilley in describing the recent weeks’ preparations. “People are banging down the doors, and I’m optimistic about how things will actually go once the doors are actually open. Lots of people have said how much they loved coming to Kopp’s, and they’re really excited that we’re going to keep it going.”

Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s will offer sales, repairs, and rentals of both ebikes and traditional bicycles.

Kopp’s has been at its present Spring Street location since 1989. Before that it was located on Nassau Street, Chambers Street, John Street, and then Witherspoon Street.

Friday’s opening will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We’ll answer any questions you have about bikes,” said Reilley. “We’ll have demos in the parking lot so you can get on a bike and see what it’s all about. Princeton is a fabulous place for this.”

Reilley described how she and her late husband were introduced to ebikes in 2018 on a family vacation trip to Bar Harbor, Maine. “My kids found the bike rental and we rented ebikes for the day, and we had the best day,” she said. “They were Pedego bikes, and as soon as we got back to New Jersey we looked for a place where we could rent these wonderful bikes. Spring Lake was the only place.”

Reilley and her husband talked to Pedego about starting up a new Pedego store in New Jersey, but the time was not right until in 2020, when the whole family was working at home and one day Pedego called.

“‘We have an opening for a store in Haddonfield,’ they said. ‘Are you guys still interested in opening a store?’ And that was it,” Reilley recalled. “We said we’d love to do that — right in the middle of COVID — and it was fabulous. It was wonderful for the whole family to be working together, doing something that we absolutely loved. And that’s what made us say ‘yes’ when Pedego said they had another opportunity, in Princeton, in 2021.”

The Princeton store has always been limited, located in a small space that was intended to be temporary until they could move to a larger space, “and now we’re ready to go all in,” said Reilley, whose son is now running the Haddonfield Pedego store.

Princeton Tour Company owner Mimi Omiecinski, who may be looking to collaborate on a future project or two with Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s, expressed her enthusiasm for the relaunching enterprise. “I’m so excited Pedego Electric Bikes is rolling into Princeton, especially to the Kopp’s location,” she said.

She continued, “Kopp’s was the oldest running bicycle shop in America, and I’m sure this wonderful team and exceptional product will extend the historic legacy at 38 Spring Street. I’m flattered the new owners asked me to partner in offering some themed ebike rides. We can’t wait to cover more ground and show off Princeton more than ever before.