Need a bicycle fix? Skunk Ape Cyclery is now open in Panama City
If you run into a large ape wearing a helmet in the window of a storefront in Panama City, don’t panic — it’s just the mascot for the area’s newest bicycle shop.
Owner Kody Gilliam held a grand opening for Skunk Ape Cyclery Friday morning, welcoming the community for a peek inside. The bike shop sits at 1106 Harrison Ave. Suite E, and offers all things cycle-related as well as repair services.
Operation hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Since he was young, Gilliam said he has always had a love for bicycles. He quickly grew a passion for cycling that would later place him in jobs in the cycling industry where he learned more about the mechanics of bicycles.
Gilliam opened his first shop, Uptown Cyclery, in Bremerton, Washington, in 2020, to live out his dream as a bike shop owner. Despite his rough start amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the lengthy shipment periods of cycle supplies, he kept his head above the water.
“I always knew I wanted to work with bicycles because this is what I’m passionate about and I didn’t know of anything else I wanted to do with my life," Gilliam said.
Last July, Gilliam moved to Panama City to be closer to his family. But he had a plan to continue as a bike shop owner, which was when the idea of Skunk Ape Cyclery was born.
Skunk Ape Cyclery is a full-service shop that services any work related to bicycles, including triathlon bikes, BMX bikes, mountain bikes and electronic bikes. In addition, the business sells bike parts and equipment as well as new and used bicycles out of the store.
“If it’s got wheels and pedal-powered — I work on it,” Gilliam said.
Common brands featured in the store include Cannondale, GT and Salsa cycles. Once the business gets flowing, trade-ins and rentals will also be a sales option.
The business got its name from Florida’s mythical skunk ape, commonly known in other parts of the country as bigfoot. As the store’s mascot, a life-sized ape (which is just a mannequin) is placed in the window to welcome customers in. Although it was a part of his old shop in Washington, Gilliam said that it played a key factor in helping him name his new business.
“It was the first thing people would see when they walked into the shop, and it became so popular that sometimes they only come to see the ape,” he said. “When I moved here, I learned that skunk ape was a popular name for bigfoot in Florida. I thought it was a cool name for my shop, so decided to go with it.”
With his new journey shifting into gear, Gilliam said he hopes he’s able to connect with the community through family fun and bicycles. Looking into the future, he hopes to become involved in the community with plans to arrange group rides and charity events within his business.
He said he’s confident that this new journey will paint a bright future for Skunk Ape Cyclery.
“Once we fall into our rhythm, I know this will be fantastic,” Gilliam said. “I think it’s just about showing people good, clean fun that’s family-oriented, and bicycles are a great tool for that.”
For more information about the bike shop, call 850-215-4201 or visit Skunk Ape Cyclery LLC on Facebook and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: A new full service bike shop now open in Panama City
