Latest Happenings; Colonial Flag

Summer is underway, and a lot is going on in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys. There are lots of fundraiser poker runs; we keep a flyer stand outside our store if you're ever looking for ride information. Got a flyer? Bring some over or send us a copy to our Facebook page.

Teddy Foltz Memorial Poker Run

I got to ride out on the Teddy Foltz Memorial Poker Run on Sunday, June 30th. I went over by myself because Bryon's bike is in the shop (some electrical problem). See ya later, I said! Now, everyone said he could have ridden bitch with me, but c'mon, he's 6'3" and can straddle my back seat. It certainly would have gotten some looks!

But what a great turn out at Papa's Sports Club Bar in Youngstown on Poland Avenue. I was one of the last ones in and it was packed. Money raised went to the Sojourner House that helps people when experiencing domestic violence and abuse. They have programs to help people get out and move on, which isn't easy. Teddy Foltz was an abused child, and his abuse resulted in his death at the age of 14 in 2013. He was forced to do things that were physically and emotionally traumatizing, even having frostbite on his feet at the time of his death. Both the abusive boyfriend and Teddy's mother who let it continue are both in prison.

So it was super to see so many local bikers come out for support and to remember Teddy and other kids like him. The run left Papa's and headed into Pennsylvania on US 422, then went all around on some nice roads and into Salem to an American Legion hall. Back at Papa's there was a Chinese auction and more fundraising. I had a nice time and will do it again. Since we run the store Monday through Saturday, we can only make it on poker runs that happen on Sundays.

  

 Me and Poseidon











Freedom Thirteen Cycle's 5th Anniversary

In other news, Bryon and I celebrated being in business for five years!!! We opened our doors on July 1, 2014, and had a grand opening on Saturday, July 5th. Our very first customer was a truck driver, Lukasz, who was from Chicago. I think he was our good luck charm. Lukasz belongs to the Sokol Riders, a riding association largely of people from Polish ancestry or even recent immigration. Good folks!

We've come a long way. Here is what we began with, a store half of what it is now. We took that empty space and started the building of successful business. A phone store had been in the space and had green paint and red in the slat wall. It was hideous. I painted all the green a color called Coffee With Cream (good trivia question!). New carpet was installed, and we started setting up shop.

The store seems so big now compared to our starting size, and yet it seems so small because we can do so much more. All in good time.

Tenacity, persistence, planning, gumption, and a loyal customer base has made it all possible.

We were in business 8 months when we decided to expand the store into the empty space next to us. The mall manager agreed to connect the rooms and make one big store. We were happy to do that. So on April 21, 2015, we had our expansion open house and had red, white, and blue shirts made for the event. If you have one of these, it's now "vintage" since it does not have the Est. 2014 ribbon under the logo. Hold on to them, they may be priceless someday!

America's Thirteen Colonies

A lot of people have made up their own conclusions as to what our store name means since we first opened. Two people have gotten it correct on their own. What does it mean? Bryon has always been a fan of the American Revolution and the win against the tyranny of Great Britain. When we knew were opening a store, Bryon was awake for practically three days, tossing and turning at night, deep in thought during the day, when it hit him. The name had to do with freedom, and where did that freedom come from but from winning a fight for it!

His house, when I moved in and still does, is loaded with memorabilia about 1776 and July 4th when the colonies declared their independence. So it only made sense that a store that would be helping locals with motorcycle riding and the freedom it entails would have to be rooted in America's freedom! Freedom Thirteen (for the 13 colonies) Cycle.

There it was, Bryon's aha moment. It can seem like a lengthy name but it has real meaning. Some people call us Thirteen for short. Also note that we spell out thirteen instead of using the numerals because in the biker world, numbers can have very specific meaning and we didn't want to be misconstrued as a place associated with one or another. We, like America, are independent, and all are welcome at FTC, our home away from home.

When we expanded the store in 2015, the new space had a framed area that once had been a map, then a painting of flowers. I painted it Coffee With Cream, but it wouldn't cover. So, I ended up stripping it and with good reason. Bryon had decided that we needed a huge colonial America thirteen star flag, and this frame was the perfect space.

Once prepped, Bryon started painting. He wanted it to look a little worn, not some perfectly striped image. He took his time painting the entire area white, and then with strings, he portioned off the stripes in exact ratio with the required dimensions of the USA flag. It's very specific. When it came to the star field, he made a dial with a piece of wood so that he could get the stars spaced right. It was all his work and he took great pride in the art.

So before anyone in the country decided to hate the colonial flag for incoherent reasons, we had it, supported it, used it to imply what we stand for, and we will thus defend this early American flag until we're dead.

I hope you enjoyed reading about a little bit of what's going on, where we came from, and what we stand for. May liberty always be our option and a goal, to live independently and yet as brothers and sisters in the love of free thinking and movement. Celebrate America, today and every day!!!

~ Holly

Spring Tool Bag Sale, And How Not To Be A Tool

Good February day to all!

     As the sun is shining on me and our cats this morning, I'd like to let the cat out of the bag early by mentioning our first ever BIG TIME tool bag sale - February 13th through the 28th - 20% off the regular prices! We planned ahead for this event and have all styles and sizes and materials of tool bags. Some can go on the handlebars, some on the forks, some are designed for either location.

     Did you see an old post of ours on Facebook about putting large tool bags on the metal rails of your rear fender? We learned about this simple and great idea from a customer in New Jersey in 2017. He had bought one 12" vinyl tool bag from us, and his son suggested putting it on the the fender rail. Jai alai - a mini saddlebag/toolbag. He ended up buying a second one to have a pair on his bike, which is a Yamaha V-Star (like mine). It's a great idea and something to consider when you are looking for bike storage on a non-bagger.

        In other news, some dumbass rumor is out there suggesting that Bryon belongs to a 1% motorcycle club. That is a total non-truth, a lie, and whoever is spreading it is a tool, and should find a tool bag to hide in. Seriously, if you ever hear any rumor about us or our store, just come and ask. We've heard it from the beginning because we are Freedom Thirteen. Thirteen is for the original thirteen colonies that fought for freedom. We spell it out and don't use the number 13 specifically to avoid confusion with motorcycle club usage. But still, we had some total fucktard tell us back in 2014 that he knew all about it: "I get it, 13, one three, one, one percent". Uh, no, you dumb fucking asshole! Even after explaining it, he still had is own idiotic thoughts. Sometimes you just want to tell someone to fuck off. 

     We founded the store on our own, with my retirement money (and boy did those assholes in the state retirement system I had been in, D.C., and the IRS fuck me over good - may they burn in Hell). But whatever - we opened up with our own money to go for a dream, and we are as independent as anyone could ever be. We enjoy our freedom. We operate our store for people who ride any kind of motorcycle and from any club or not in a club. NEUTRAL - as we say, we have a store for bikers, by bikers - everyone is welcome. 

     Find some joy in these last weeks of winter. I like the birds, so I'm always watching for which ones come back, especially the geese (I like how they fly in an organized pack as when we ride with our friends!). This is going to be a GREAT YEAR!

~ Holly, a.k.a. Stitchblade