It is officially and completely the absolute end of Citybikes Workers Cooperative.
The end came slowly, got really ugly, and left a bad taste in many peoples’ mouths.
Because no matter how much anyone might protest, money really can change the way people behave.
Perhaps this is why a real workers’ cooperative simply doesn’t have much of a chance working in a capitalist country like the United States. That Citybikes lasted as long as it did is somewhat amazing. That I stayed as long as I did is also somewhat amazing, but only in as much hindsight as I’ve acquired by now.
The Mother Shop, the original Citybikes location, had been home to a bicycle shop for nearly fifty years. (It had housed the Bicycle Repair Collective before that business moved to Belmont Street. One BRC member stayed behind to found Citybikes in 1986. It became a workers’ cooperative in 1990.) That building was listed for sale this week, finally closing the door on the story.
I am glad that I left when I did.
I hope my former coworkers can all find some peace.
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