TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With his wrench in hand, Joe Mezzina is turning a screw on a customer's bicycle. He's the owner of Joe's Bike Shop on Lake Ella.
Since 1986, he's been fixing and selling bikes in Tallahassee.
Over the years, Mezzina said his cottage has become a mess filled with memories and long-lost treasures.
"We still find things where we’re going, 'hey, look I found this. Hey Tony, remember when we were looking for this?'”
Mezzina said his store use to be divided into four section, but now he owns the entire shop.
One of his favorite memories has been watching generations of local families share his love for biking.
“My brother is a teacher in South Florida and he always talks about how he runs into his old students and their kids, and I always felt like I could relate to that," Mezzina said.
Whether someone needs their brakes fixed, gears checked or want to buy a new bike, Mezzina will answer the call.
"Your bike is done, but it’s raining so you’re going to tell me that you don’t want to come get it," Mezzina said while on the phone with a customer.
Even though he’s originally from New York, Mezzina said the relationship he has built with customers has made this place become home.
“It makes me feel like we’ve done a good job of the years. I think people really appreciate the small business aspect of it," Mezzina said. "It's been a fun ride."
