The Portland Gear Hub

The Portland Gear Hub was created in January 2014 when two youth-focused nonprofits in southern Maine, Camp Ketcha (now Ketcha Outdoors) and the Community Bicycle Center (now Apex Youth Connection) thought that a used outdoor gear shop could provide funding to support their programs. Since its humble beginnings, it has become much more than a revenue stream. It quickly outgrew the YMCA basement and moved to St. John St. in Union Station Plaza. The Gear Hub leaned in to bikes, hired new staff (former volunteers!), and partnered with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine to deliver what has become Bikes For All Mainers.

In the Spring of 2017, the Gear Hub relocated to 155 Washington Ave in the East Bayside neighborhood and opened ‘The Bike School,’ a dedicated programs space at 85 Anderson St. Between 2017 and 2020, it expanded its programs, grew its impact, and become an integral part of Portland’s cycling community.

During the pandemic the Gear Hub helped essential workers and thousands of other people to access bikes as global supply chains struggled to meet demand. In 2024, with the support of more than 500 people, the Gear Hub purchased 155 Washington Avenue, ensuring that it can continue to provide access to mobility and sustainable transportation for years to come.