LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – A Lafayette institution that has helped generations of local children, commuters and cycling enthusiasts get on two wheels is preparing to close its doors after more than a century in business.
Hank & Frank Bicycles will officially close its doors on August 31, 2026, as its longtime owner retires. The bicycle shop was founded in Oakland in 1925 and has operated in Lafayette for the past 52 years.
The business is currently located at 3377 Mount Diablo Boulevard, near the western end of downtown Lafayette.
Hank & Frank has been operated by just two families during its 101-year history. Dale Dryer took over the company from its original owner, Hank, 57 years ago and continued operating it as a family-oriented neighborhood bicycle shop.
The store sells bicycles and accessories while also providing repairs, maintenance and guidance for riders ranging from young children receiving their first bikes to experienced cyclists.
“Our gratitude is difficult to put into words,” the Hank & Frank team said in announcing the closure. “This community has trusted us with milestones, memories, and everyday moments for more than a century.”
The company said its work has always centered on helping customers feel cared for and confident, rather than simply selling and repairing bicycles.
Hank & Frank began on East 14th Street in Oakland and moved through several locations over the decades. Its former Oakland presence included a shop in the Rockridge neighborhood, while the Lafayette store became a fixture along Mount Diablo Boulevard.
Over its five decades in Lafayette, the shop has served multiple generations of the same families. Some customers who visited as children later returned to purchase bicycles for their own children.
The store’s longevity is particularly notable in an era when independent bicycle retailers have faced growing competition from major sporting-goods chains, direct-to-consumer bicycle companies and online retailers.
Despite the planned closure, the Hank & Frank team indicated that there may still be an opportunity for some form of the business to continue. The company said it is actively looking for the right person to carry on its legacy and will update the community if that search produces a successor.
For now, however, the existing shop is scheduled to end operations on August 31.
Customers are being encouraged to visit during the store’s final month to purchase bicycles, arrange repairs, share memories and say goodbye to the staff.
“This community has trusted us with milestones, memories, and everyday moments for more than a century,” the team said. “We hope every customer knows that our work has always been about people first.”
Hank & Frank’s scheduled closing will end a 101-year run that began before television, commercial air travel and the construction of the modern Bay Area freeway system — and leave Lafayette without one of its longest-running local businesses.
We’re working on a longer interview about Hank & Frank, which we’re hoping to publish next week, but we wanted to get the news out ASAP so people can have time to visit before the 31st of August. Make sure to join our 925 News newsletter so we can share that longer interview.
