New Jersey-Based Hilltop Bicycles To Open Shop At Essex Crossing

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A New Jersey-based bike shop will open up a new shop at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge in August, developers announced.

Hilltop Bicycles will open a 2,000-square-foot space at one of the Lower East Side's Essex Crossing buildings, 175 Delancey St., just east of Clinton Street.

Just at the base of Williamsburg Bridge where thousands of cyclists cross each day, the shop's co-founder said it was an "obvious step" for growth.

"When the opportunity to open a store in the Lower East Side just steps from the Williamsburg Bridge and its bike traffic was presented to us, we felt this was an obvious step in our growth plans," Thomas Dunn, Hilltop Bicycle's co-founder, said in a statement. "Plus, the neighborhood itself has that unique combination of gritty, real history coupled with a revitalized hope. We just love what that stands for."

The bike shop first opened in New Jersey in 2012 and has become the largest bike retailer in the state.

The shop joins a rapidly growing sprawling development on the Lower East Side. Essex Crossing, a nine-site development expected to bring more than 1,000 apartments, about half below-market rate, has recently opened a new, revamped version of the historic Essex Market. The market will soon extend into The Market Line later this summer on the lower level at 125 Delancey St. A movie theatre, Target and Trader Joe's are also on-site. A Wells Fargo will also open in the area.

"Bringing a top bicycle shop to the Lower East Side was a goal as soon as we began planning Essex Crossing's retail," said S. Andrew Katz, a principal at the Prusik Group, a part of the larger group of Essex Crossing developers Delancey Street Associates. "With the Williamsburg Bridge's significant bicycle traffic and proximity to the store's location, we have a unique opportunity to serve New York City’s growing cycling community."