We at the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition love and support local businesses. And many of these local businesses love us back.

You may have heard about our brand-new Business and Bikes event on Friday, August 14th, where we'll collectively support restaurants and shops along Peachtree Street between 8th and 10th streets.

You may have also heard a bit of the the research surrounding the many benefits bikes have on business, including the facts that people on bikes are more likely to make repeat trips to local stores and stores located on a walkable, bikeable, and safe street have increased visibility and foot traffic. 

But maybe you don't quite get it. Whats the big deal? You might ask. People who bike are just some fringe group. Businesses can't cater to everyone's needs! 

Consider this example:

Let's say you have two friends: Friend A and Friend B.

Friend A has a bike rack outside his apartment on a very walkable and bikable street. 

Friend A actually helped get bike lanes on the street, by showing up at public meetings and contacting his council member about the need for safer streets in his neighborhood. Friend A is pretty cool.

Friend B on the other hand, doesn't have bike parking outside his building that sits on a busy street where cars fly past at 40 miles per hour. 

Friend B is pretty lonely. He's always complaining that his friends always have a hard time finding the place because its so easy to miss when they're driving by so fast. He wishes more people would just pop in to hang out with him.

Both Friend A and Friend B want you to come over on Friday night.

Which one do you choose?

If you're like us, you'll choose Friend A. Friend A is supportive, engaged, and fun to be around. And what's in it for him? Friend A gets more people to hang out with him and overall, is very happy. 

In this story, Friend A is exactly the kind of business owner we need more of in Atlanta. 

But without showing business owners the positive impact people who bike can have, we can only go so far in making Atlanta more bike-friendly. This is why we are launching Business and Bikes, and we want you to join us this Friday! 

Refer to the map below of all the businesses on Peachtree between 8th and 10th street and check out the event page for more details about Friday's event.  So hop on your bike and join us on Friday to help make a positive impact on bike advocacy in Atlanta. And don't forget to tag all your photos from the event with #BizandBikes!