Pee Wee's Bike Shop

Bicycles, 1955 Fifty years ago, if you wanted a 9-speed conversion kit for your bicycle, or a quality 10-speed bicycle, you might go to Pee Wee's Bike Shop. Pee Wee also sold brands such as Peugeot, Fuji, Bianchi, Murray and Roll Master. He eventually went into the motorbike business, securing a franchise of the French-made Solex motorized bicycle. Source: J E Koonce on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Date: May 6, 1955

Among the many mom-and-pop businesses that graced Coventry Village during the 1960s and 1970s, Pee Wee's Bike Shop often stands out. Although it is a part of Coventry's history, the shop did not have its beginnings there. Pee Wee (real name Marvin Rosenberg), had lived in Cleveland Heights since the early 1940s. He first opened Pee Wee's Bike Shop at 894 Lakeview in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland in the mid 1950s. He stayed there until a series of robberies convinced him to move his business to Cleveland Heights in the 1960s.

A neighboring business owner followed and partnered with Pee Wee, starting a bike and variety shop called Pee Wee's Bike & Hobby Company at 2871 Mayfield Road. The joint business lasted about three years until Pee Wee's partner ventured out to start his own wholesale bike business. Changing the name of his store to Pee Wee's Cycle Shop, Rosenberg stayed on Mayfield Road for two more years until the building was sold.

Pee Wee moved to Coventry Village in the late 1960s. The name he chose for his relocated business was the Cycle & Import Company, but everyone continued to refer to it as Pee Wee's Bike Shop. Pee Wee ran his business at 1791 Coventry Road for seventeen years, during which time he became an almost legendary figure in the area.

In the 1980s, Pee Wee purchased a small building on Lee and Superior Roads near Cain Park. He again changed the name of his business, appropriately calling it Cain Park Bicycle. Unfortunately, not long after he moved he became ill and was no longer able to run the business. He did, however, make sure he left the shop good hands—someone who, according to Pee Wee, "knew bikes." Despite the frequent moves and name changes, Pee Wee's Bike Shop is remembered fondly as part of Coventry Village history.

Audio

First Bike Tommy Fello from Tommy's Restaurant talks about getting his first bike from Pee Wee's Bike Shop. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Moving Marvin Rosenberg of Pee Wee's Bike Shop talks about moving his business to different locations. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

In Partnership Marvin Rosenberg of Pee Wee's Bike Shop talks about the partnership he had at his first Cleveland Heights location. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Going into the Motorbike Business Marvin Rosenberg of Pee Wee's Bike Shop talks about the different brands of bikes he sold at his stores. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection