Joseph's story

I was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Skateboarding has always been an outlet for me and I spent most of my teen years across the river in Philadelphia at LOVE and FDR skate parks. After graduating from high school, I apprenticed with a small engine mechanic and learned that I loved the technicalities and challenges of getting a motor back in shape. I worked on lawnmowers, ATVs and snowmobiles for over ten years, first in New Jersey and then in Vermont, where I moved to be able to snowboard and mountain bike. I settled in the small town of Rochester, Vermont and after a few years I was looking for a new challenge and transitioned from small engines to repairing bicycles. I loved living in rural Vermont but really missed skating the streets of a city so after seven years of working on bikes, I designed, built and ran an indoor concrete skate plaza in an old warehouse. The construction took me over four months and 1,300 bags of concrete but it was amazing to see a dream come to life! The park grew into a safe gathering space for many children and teenagers in the region and hosted dances and concerts in addition to providing a space to skate. Through this process, though, I learned that skating is my personal passion and I would prefer to continue as a mechanic for my profession. After 16 years in Vermont, I felt it was time to return to Philadelphia and I am thrilled to be pursuing another dream: running my own bike repair and coffee shop.